definincj Natural¬ 
ization Terms ^ 
Processes rorthe 

American 

who desires to 

helptheAIien 

become a citizen. 


Compi/ed Pu6/isAed 
6y FrankL.Dykema 
Grand ^apid$,Mick, 

^ eoF^riqh't mo 

Frmnk L. Dqkomo 

lllill 








OCT -4 1920 
Cl A589718 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


1 


CT/f/i’sf 

,J]g PURPOSE OF THE AMERICANIZATION 
DICTIONARY 

With an increasing public sentiment requiring for¬ 
eign-born residents to become citizens, it is not fair to 
them if information is not given which will enable 
them, with the least possible friction, to become nat¬ 
uralized. 

Men who have been misdirected, sent from one 
office to another, feeling the necessity and desirability 
of citizenship without being able to overcome the ap¬ 
parent difficulties in connection with the process of 
naturalization, become unhappy and disturbed and 
add to the all too prevalent unrest. They may even 
become antagonistic to the Government because of its 
apparent inefficiency, and in such a state of mind 
become prospects for the radical organizers. 

As a matter of duty and self defense every Ameri¬ 
can should be familiar with the ordinary naturaliza¬ 
tion process, and should be able to satisfy a request 
for information. This dictionary is a compilation 
of information asked for by aliens, and it is intended 
for the information of any one interested in Ameri¬ 
canization and especially for teachers, Americaniza¬ 
tion committees, employers, foremen and Americans 
in general, who are in contact with foreign-born 
people. 

It is so arranged that any one, with or without ex¬ 
perience in naturalization matters can advise the alien 
as to the necessary steps to take, and in case of diffi¬ 
culty or delay, determine the causes, and advise how 
to overcome them. 

Carry the dictionary in your pocket and help in 
this great work when opportunity offers. 





2 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


LOCAL INFORMATION 

Write in space below indicated information so that 
questions relative to Courts and Classes can be answer¬ 
ed. Get information about Courts from the Clerk of 
the Court and about Classes from the Board of Educa¬ 
tion. 

COURTS 

Name of Court... 

Where located.... 

Name of Judge. 

Name of Clerk of Court....... 

Dates of Sessions of Court... 


Name of Court. 

Where located. 

Name of Judge. 

Name of Clerk of Court. 

Dates of Sessions of Court 


Name of Court. 

Where located. 

Name of Judge.-. 

Name of Clerk of Court. 

Dates of Sessions of Court. 





















AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


CITIZENSHIP CLASSES 

Where held.... 

Days . 

Hours ........ 

Auspices of..... 

Teacher ...... 

Where held.. 

Days ...... 

Hours........ 

Auspices of. 

Teacher .... 

Where held..!.. 

Days ..... 

Hours ..... 

Auspices of. 

Teacher ... 

Where held.... 

Days . 

Auspices of.. 

Teacher ..-. 

Where held.... 

Days..—.. 

Hours... 

Auspices of... 

Teacher ...-. 



























4 AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 





























AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


QUESTIONS 

If you do not find needed information 
herein or if you do not understand any of 
the definitions, ask questions of us. We 
have tried to make the dictionary clear 
and complete, but inasmuch as new ques¬ 
tions arise every day in our own work, it 
is probable they will elsewhere. We will 
be very glad to receive inquiries of any 
kind, and will answer them, if possible. 

FRANK L. DYKEMA, 

Executive Secretary of the Americaniza¬ 
tion Society, 

Grand Rapids, Michigan. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


DIRECTIONS 

As nearly as possible the terms in this dictionary 
are those used by the alien and by people connected 
with the courts and with the process of naturalization. 
By looking up an apparent “catch phrase,” you will 
often be put on the track of the information wanted. 

For example, a man says, “I’ve got my first paper.” 
In the law, there is no such thing as a first paper, 
except that the Declaration of Intention is the first 
paper which an alien signs in the naturalization pro¬ 
cess. Reference to “first paper” in the dictionary will 
give this information. Always look in the dictionary 
for any phrase that is used by the alien or any term 
used in naturalization process. 

The first thing in giving information, is to classify 
the man. He is either a citizen or he is not. By refer¬ 
ring to “citizen,” this will be determined. As the most 
convenient way of further classification, the names 
of countries have been included. Find out to what 
country the alien owes allegiance, and by referring 
to it you will learn whether he may or may not become 
a citizen, and if he can, whether there are any special 
conditions surrounding him, such as apply now to 
Germans and Austrians, and people under the jurisdic¬ 
tion of Germany and Austria as it was before the war. 

Next ask him if he has any papers. If he has, you 
can determine how far he has gone by referring to 
the “process of naturalization.” You should read the 
“process of naturalization” in order to understand the 
regular procedure in naturalization matters. 

By asking questions suggested by definitions 
given, and by following the references through this 
dictionary, any case can be straightened out. 

Italics indicate that the word or phrase so printed 
IS defined in its proper place in the dictionary. 



AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


7 


Absent Witness: See Wityiessy absent, 

Abyssinia: See Africa. 

Amendment to Declaration of Intention and Petition for 
Naturalization: See Mistakes in Declaration and 
Petition. 

Affidavit of Witnesses: See Witnesses^ Affidavit. 

Admitted to Citizenship: This is the last step in the 
process of naturalization, also referred to as “admis¬ 
sion to citizenship.’’ 

Adopted Children: See Children’s Citizenship. 

Affidavit: An affidavit is a sworn statement. 

Affidavit of Witnesses: See Witnesses. 

Afghanistan: Located in Asia. Afghans may not 
become citizens of the United States. 

Africa: Persons of African nativity may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Age: An alien must be eighteen years old before he 
may make a Declaration of Intention, and twenty-one 
years old before he may file a petition for naturaliza¬ 
tion, and a witness in the process of natlralization 
must be twenty-one years old. 

Alaska: A territory of the United States. Persons born 
in Alaska are citizens of the United States. 

Albania: Located in Europe. Albanians may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. / 

Algeria: Located in Africa. See Africa. 

Alien; Any person owing allegiance to, or a citizen of 
any country other than the United States; any per¬ 
son not a citizen of the United States by birth or nat¬ 
uralization. 

Alien Enemy: Any person who before coming to the 
United States owed allegiance to Germany, who was 
not a naturalized citizen on April 6, 1917, or any per¬ 
son who before coming to the United States owed 
allegiance to Austria-Hungary, who was not a nat¬ 
uralized citizen of the United States on December 7, 
1917, or any person who may at any future time owe 


Words in have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 







I 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


allegiance to any country with which the United 
States is at war, is classified as an alien enemy, and 
cannot be naturalized without having this classifica¬ 
tion removed. It can be removed, as described under 
relief from classification of alien enemy. This 
classification will continue in effect until a treaty 
of peace is signed with Germany and Austria or un¬ 
til a state of peace is brought about by some action 
of Congress. Steps should be taken in cases of worthy 
enemy aliens, that is, men who were loyal during the 
war and of good character, to remove the classifica¬ 
tion, so that they may become citizens. 

Aliens who claimed exemption from military service; 
See exemption from military service claimed by dec¬ 
larants who surrendered their declaration of inten¬ 
tion. See Exemption from military service claimed 
by aliens who were not declarants. See Draft clas¬ 
sification 5F. See Exemption from military service 
claimed by declarants who did not surrender their 
declaration of intention. 

Aliens Physically Unable to Speak: If an alien is dumb 
or unable to speak because of other physical dis¬ 
ability, he may be admitted to citizenship, but, in his 
petition the statement should be, “I am physically 
unable to speak the English language.” 

Alien Resident Who Goes Abroad: Any man who has 
not completed the process of naturalization, and 
therefore has not received his Certificate of Natural¬ 
ization, who leaves the United States to go to any 
country, outside of the United States, even though 
he goes with the intention of returning to the United 
States, is subject to inspection upon his return just 
as though he had never been here, and also subject 
to the head tax payable by an immigrant. A brief 
temporary absence does not break the continuity of 
his residence under the process of naturalization. 

Allegiance: The duty of a subject to a sovereign; the 
duty a citizen owes to his government. 

Allies of the United States: England and her colonies, 
France, Belgium, Italy, Servia, Greece, Roumanie 
and Russia were the allies of the United States in the 
war with Germany and Austria. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See pa^sre S. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Alsace-Lorraine: Located in Europe, between France 
and Germany. Citizens of Alsace-Lorraine may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization, but because they were subjects 
of Germany before the war with Germany and Aus¬ 
tria they are classified as alien enemies and must 
secure relief from classification of alien enemy. 

American Consul: See Consul of the United States. 

Americanization: Americanization is any process which 
develops the American or foreign-born man or wo¬ 
man into an active, informed citizen with a sense of 
responsibility to the community and nation, and a 
compelling conviction that he must take part in the 
affairs of the people. It includes naturalization of 
the alien. 

Anarchist: Any person who does not believe in organ¬ 
ized government and who believes in the destruction 
of existing government, is an anarchist. 

Andorra: A small republic in Europe, between France 
and Spain. Andorrans may become citizens of the 
United States through the process of naturalization. 

Angola (Portuguese West' Africa): Located in Africa. 
See Africa. 

Appearance in Court: When a petitioner for naturali¬ 
zation goes into court for his final hea/ring as to his 
qualification for citizenship, it is referred to as his 
appearance in court. See process of naturalization. 

Applicant: This is a term often used in place of the 
word petitioner. 

Application for Certificate of Arrival: See Certificate 
of Arrival. See Form No. 2226. 

Application for Exception from the Classification of 
Alien Enemy: See Relief from Classification of Alien 
Enemy. 

Application for Presidential Exception: See Relief 
from classification of alien enemy. 

Applying for Citizenship: This is a term often used, 
which means the same as filing a petition for natural¬ 
ization. 

April 6, 1917: Date of beginning of war with Germany. 


Words in italics hare separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




10 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Arabia: Located in Asia. Arabians may become citi¬ 
zens of the United States through the process of nat¬ 
uralization. 

Argentine Republic: Located in South America. Ar¬ 
gentines may become citizens of the United States 
through the process of naturalization. 

Armenia: Located in Asia. Armenians may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Army: See Service to United States. 

Army Reserve: See Service to United States. 

Arrival: The time when an alien or an immig7'ant ar¬ 
rives in this country is referred to as the date of 
arrival. It is determined by the date of inspection 
by the officials of the Bureau of Immigration. If he 

■ comes through a port of entry and is inspected by the 
officials of the Bureau of Immigration, it is a regular 
arrival. If he comes into the country without pass¬ 
ing through a port of entry, or for any reason is not 
inspected, it is an irregular arrival. Desertion from 
a ship or entering the country by crossing the bor¬ 
der at some place other than a port of entry, are ex¬ 
amples of irregular arrival. See Inspection. 

Assumed Names: Aliens often take names different 
from their real names because of the diflEicult pro¬ 
nunciation of their real names. Names are often 
given by foremen or others to aliens whose names are 
too difficult to pronounce. All such names, if used 
or adopted by the alien, must be noted in all natural¬ 
ization papers. 

Assyria: Located in Asia near the Mediterranean. As¬ 
syrians may become citizens of the United States 
through the process of naturalization. 

Attached to the Principles of the Constitution: A 

petitioner for naturalization is assumed to under¬ 
stand the Constitution of the United States, to ap¬ 
preciate the meaning of its principles, to approve of 
the methods of government and to be committed in 
his own mind to the principles for which the Con¬ 
stitution stands. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


11 


Australia: Citizens of Australia are British subjects. 
They may become citizens of the United States 
through the process of naturalization. 

Austria-Hungary: Located in Europe. Austrians and 
Hungarians may become citizens of the United 
States through the process of naturalization, but be¬ 
cause they were subjects of Austria-Hungary before 
the war with Germany and Austria they are classi¬ 
fied as alien enemies and must secure relief from 
classification of alien enemy. 

Behavior: See good Moral Character. 

Baluchistan: Located in Asia. Baluches may not be¬ 
come citizens of the United States. 

Belgium: Located in Europe. Belgians may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Believed He Was a Citizen: This is an expression often 
used by men who have thought themselves to be citi¬ 
zens through misunderstanding of the law. It is 
usually the result of the father's misunderstanding, 
resulting from his belief that taking out first papers 
made him and his children citizens. When a true 
misunderstanding can be proven, a first paper is not 
required. See Erroneously Exercised Citizenship. 

Boards of Education: Boards of Education conduct 
citizenship classes for aliens, including classes in 
English. Information relative to these classes in any 
city can be obtained from the Office of the Superin¬ 
tendent of Schools. Boards of Education will usually 
furnish the teachers for alien classes at the expense 
of the Board of Education in schools, clubs, churches, 
or factories. 

Bohemia: Part of Austria. Bohemians may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization, but because they were subjects of 
Austria before the war with Germany and Austria 
they are classified as alien enemies and must secure 
relief from classification of alien enemy. 

Bolivia: Located in South America. Bolivians may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

Borneo: One of the East Indian Islands Natives of 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 





12 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Borneo may not become citizens of th® United 
States. 

Brazil: Located in South America. Brazilians may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

Bulgaria: Located in Europe. Bulgarians may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Bureau of Immigration: This is a Bureau in the 
Department of Labor which has control of the m- 
spection and admission of immigrants to the United 
States. Officials of the Bureau of Immigration are 
stationed in each port of entry to inspect immigrants 
before admitting them to the United States. 

Bureau of Naturalization: This is a bureau of the De¬ 
partment of Labor having charge of all matters re¬ 
lating to naturalization. It includes the Division of 
Citizenship Training. 

Burma: Located in Asia. Natives of Burma may not 
become citizens of the United States. 

Canada: Located in North America. Natives of Canada 
may become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

Cancellation of Certificate of Naturalization: A Cer¬ 
tificate of Naturalization may be cancelled because of 
fraud or illegality in obtaining it. Such cancella¬ 
tion is brought about through court action, usually 
started by the United States District Attorney. 

Candidate for Citizenship: This is a term used to des¬ 
ignate a petitioner for naturalization. 

Central America: Located in North America. Natives 
of Central America may become citizens of the 
United States through the process of naturalization. 

Certificate of Arrival: This is a Certificate issued by 
the immigration authorities upon application, by the 
alien, to the Bureau of Naturalization. It certifies 
that the alien arrived on the date named, and it gives 
his name, the port of^ entry, and the name of the ship 
or railroad, and is signed by the Immigration Officer 
at the port of entry where the alien arrived in this 
country. It can usually be obtained in about one 
month. It is necessary for all aliens who arrived in 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page B. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


18 


this country on and after June 29^ 1906^ to have this 
certificate before they can file a petition for natural¬ 
ization, Form No, 2226, which can be obtained from 
the Clerk of the Court, is used in making the appli¬ 
cation for the Certificate of Arrival. The Certificate 
of Arrival is based on information recorded by offi¬ 
cials of the Immigration Bureau at the time of in¬ 
spection of the alien at the port of entry. If at the 
time of his arrival the alien did not come through a 
regular port of entry, he could not have been in¬ 
spected and consequently cannot obtain a Certificate 
of Arrival in the regular way. See Inspection. Ap¬ 
plication for Certificate of Arrival shoiild be sent to 
the Commissioner of Naturalization, Washington, D. 
C., when alien is ready to apply for final paper. See 
Omission of Certificate of Arrival, 

Certificate of Good Conduct: This is a statement given 
by a master of a vessel to a seaman, or a statement 
to a soldier or member of the Navy by an officer, 
showing good conduct in service. 

Certificate of Graduation: This is a diploma which is 
given to a petitioner who has attended the classes 
conducted by the Board of Education, after the peti¬ 
tioner has appeared before the Naturalization Ex¬ 
aminer for his preliminary examination, and has 
passed a satisfactory examination. Blank copies of 
these Certificates can be obtained from the Bureau of 
Naturalization, by the Superintendent of Schools, by 
whom they are presented to the petitioners. 

Certificate of Honorable Discharge: See Honorable 
Discharge, 

Certificate of Landing: This is a phrase used to desig¬ 
nate the Certificate of Arrival, 

Certificate of Naturalization: This is the Certificate 
that is given to an alien after he has taken the oath 
of allegiance to the United States and been admitted 
to citizenship. It is his evidence of citizenship. It 
is also called the second paper, citizenship paper, cer¬ 
tificate of citizenship, final paper, and last paper. 
Matter appearing on a certificate of naturalization is 
as follows: 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




14 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


CERTIFICATE OF NATURALIZATION. 
Number. 

Petition, volume., page. 

Stub, volume., page. 

Description of holder: Age,.; height^.; 

color,.; complexion,.; color of eyes,.; 

color of hair,.; visible distinguishing marks, 

. Name, age, and place of residence of wife, 

., ., . Names, ages, and places of 

residence of minor children,., ., .; 

.> . } .j .> .> . 

., ss: 

Be it remembered, that at a.term of the. 

court of., held at. on the. day of 

., in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and 

., ., who previous to his (her) natural¬ 
ization was a citizen or subject of., at present 

residing at number . street, . city 

(town), . State (Territory or the District of 

Columbia), having applied to be admitted a citizen 
of the United States of America pursuant to law, and 
the court having found that the petitioner had re¬ 
sided continuously within the United States for at 
least five years and in this State for one year imme¬ 
diately preceding the date of the hearing of his (her) 
petition, and that said petitioner intends to reside 
permanently in the United States, had in all respects 
complied with the law in relation thereto, and that 
....he was entitled to be so admitted, it was thereupon 
ordered by the said court that ....he be admitted as a 
citizen of the United States of America. 

In testimony whereof the seal of said court is here¬ 
unto affixed on the. day of., in the year 

of our Lord nineteen hundred and . and of our 

independence the. 

(L.S.) ., 

(Official character of attestor.) 

Certificate of Naturalization Lost or Destroyed; See 
Form 2225. 

Certificate of Proficiency; This is a certificate issued by 
the Director of Citizenship of the Bureau of Natural¬ 
ization to Superintendents of Schools to be given to 
a student who is a Declarant who in the judgment of 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 












































AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


16 


his teacher shows proper proficiency in his work. No 
examination by a representative of the Bureau of 
Naturalization is necessary in order to issue this Cer¬ 
tificate to the student. It does not do away with the 
examination in United States Government and United 
States History by the representative of the Bureau of 
Naturalization when the alien becomes a petitioner. 
These certificates are furnished in blank to Superin¬ 
tendents of Schools by the Naturalization Bureau, 
Washington, D. C. 

Change in Name: See Name Changed. 

Ceylon: An island in the Indian Ocean. Natives of 
Ceylon may not become citizens of the United States. 

Change of Residence: At the time an alien files a peti¬ 
tion for naturalization, he must have lived in the 
state for one year and in the United States for five 
years, both immediately preceding the date of filing 
the petition. One yearns residence in the state is 
essential, but if the alien has moved from one state 
to another in the five years, the entire five years’ 
residence can be proven by testimony of the witnesses 
in the state in which he resided during the five-year 
period, by depositions. See Depositions. If he has 
changed residence within the state during the five 
years, it is necessary that witnesses appear person¬ 
ally as depositions cannot be used within a state. 

Chief Naturalization Examiner: Head of a Natural¬ 

ization District. 

Children Born at Sea: See Children's Citizenship. 

Children Born Outside of the United States: See 
Children's Citizenship. 

Children’s Citizenship: Children born in America are 
citizens, regardless of the citizenship of their parents. 
Foreign-born minor children, unless they elect to re¬ 
tain the original citizenship of their father, become 
citizens of the United States through the natural¬ 
ization of their father in case the children live in the 
United States and the father is naturalized before 
they become twenty-one. Children that do not live 
in the United States do not become citizens of the 
United States through the naturalization of their 
father. If the father is not naturalized until after 
the children become twenty-one, the children must go 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 







16 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


through the process of naturalization to become citi¬ 
zens. Foreign-born children adopted by aliens do 
not derive citizenship from the naturalizaiton of their 
foster-parents. They can only become citizens 
through the process of naturalization. 

Children born of American parents outside of the 
United States are American citizens providing that 
at some time their father has lived in the United 
States. If the children continue to reside outside of 
the United States, they must, upon reaching the age 
of eighteen, record at the office of a Consul of the 
United States in the country in which they are living, 
their intention to remain citizens of the United 
States, in order to retain their American citizenship 
and to receive the protection of the United States 
government. When they reach the age of twenty-one, 
they must take the oath of allegiance to the United 
States before a Consul of the United States. 

If a foreign-born man dies before becoming a citi¬ 
zen and his widow becomes a naturalized citizen be¬ 
fore the foreign-born children become twenty-one, the 
children are citizens. If the widow marries a citizen 
before the foreign-born children become twenty-one, 
the children are citizens. 

Children bora on the ocean of alien parents are 
aliens, and must become citizens through the natural¬ 
ization of their parents, or through their own nat¬ 
uralization. Children born at sea of American par¬ 
ents are American citizens. 

Children, Foreign-Born: See Children's Citizenship. 

Children of a Declarant; See Widow of Declarant. 

Children of Two Marriages: See Children's Citizenship. 

Chile: Located in South America. Chilians may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

China: Located in Asia. Chinese cannot become nat¬ 
uralized citizens of the United States. 

Citizens of the United States: All persons born or 
naturalized in the United States and subject to the 
jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States 
and of the state wherein they reside. (14th amend¬ 
ment to the Constitution.) 


Words in italicf have separate definitions. Ask questions. See pase 6. 





AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


17 


Citizen Papers: This is a teiTn often used by aliens in 
referring to their Declaration of Intention, or to 
their Certificate of Naturalization, or any paper hav¬ 
ing to do with the naturalization process. It may 
mean either first paper or second paper. Questions 
to the alien should determine this. 

Citizen By Act of Congress: A phrase used to desig¬ 
nate those deriving citizenship through parent or 
husband. 

Citizen Witness: See Witness. 

Citizenship Classes: Classes are conducted by the 
board of education in many cities for the purpose of 
teaching the English language and the principles of 
American government and United States history. 
These are called citizenship classes. 

Citizenship Certificatle: This is a phrase used to desig¬ 
nate the certificate of naturalization. 

City Court: A city court is one the jurisdiction of 
which is limited to a city. 

Civil Government: This is the study of the govern¬ 
ment and history of the United States. Every alien 
must pass an examination which indicates a good 
knowledge of the United States Government, before 
he can b^e admitted to citizenship. See preliminary 
examination. 

Classes for Training Aliens: See Boards of Education. 

Classification 5F: See Draft Classification 5F. 

Classification of Alien Enemy: See Alien Enemy. 

Clerk Must Accept Petition for Naturalization: It is 
not within the determination of the Clerk of the Court 
as to whether or not a person may file a petition 
for citizenship. He must accept a Declaration of 
Intention or a Petition for Naturalization from any 
man or woman; citizenship is for the court. 

Clerk of Court: Every court, authorized to handle Nat¬ 
uralization matters, has a Clerk, who may either be 
the regular Clerk of the Court, or a special Clerk 
either of whom handle matters relating to the pro- 
cess of naturalization. 

Coast Guard: See Service to the United States. 

Colombia: Located in South America. Colombians may 
become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturaliaztion. _ 

Words in italics hayj) separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 






18 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Commissioner of Naturalization: This is the Chief 
Officer of the Bureau of Naturalization, Department 
of Labor, Washington, D. C. 

Completing Naturalization; This means that the 
candidate for citizenship is finishing the naturaliza¬ 
tion process, and is to receive his Certificate of Nat¬ 
uralization. 

Consul of the United States: A representative of the 
State Department of the United States government 
in a foreign country. Names and addresses of con¬ 
suls can be secured by addressing the State Depart¬ 
ment, Washington, D. C. 

Consul of a Foreign Country: In many of the principal 
cities of the United States, offices are maintained by 
foreign governments. The representatives of these 
governments are called consuls. Citizens of the coun¬ 
tries represented by the consuls, can secure aid, assist¬ 
ance, and advice from consuls of their government. 
Names and addresses of these consuls can be ob¬ 
tained by addressing the State Department, Washing¬ 
ton, D. C. 

Continuance: This is a term designating the action of 
the court in adjourning a petition for naturalization 
to a future session of the court. It is done in order 
to give the applicant additional time for preparation 
in history or government or to bring his family to 
the United States, or because his witnesses are ab¬ 
sent, or for any other reason which the court may 
decide. 

Continue the Petition: This term means to adjourn the 
case of the petitioner to a future session of the court. 

Continued; See Continuance. 

Continuous Residence: This is a term referring to the 
five years’ residence in the United States required by 
the naturalization law. A petitioner for naturaliza¬ 
tion must prove that he has lived in the United States 
for the five years immediately preceding the time 
that he files his petition, and that this residence was 
continuous, and he must prove it by witnesses who 
have seen him at frequent intervals. Minor absences 
from the United States can be overcome by exhibit¬ 
ing correspondence with persons in the United States. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


19 


Three months^ absence from the United States is 
about the limit. Some courts refuse to accept cor¬ 
respondence as evidence of continuous residence. Care 
should be exercised in selecting witnesses to be sure 
that they have seen the petitioner regularly, during 
the required five years. The last year before date 
petition is filed must have been in the state in which 
petition is filed. 

Costa Rica; Located in Central America. Costa Ricans 
may become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

County Court: A County Court is one having jurisdic¬ 
tion in an entire county. 

Court: The word court as used in matters relating to 
naturalization may refer to the judge or may refer 
to the room in which court is held. 

Court, of Naturalization; Any Court having a seal, a 
Clerk, and jurisdiction in actions at law or equity, 
in which the amount in controversy is unlimited, is 
a court of record. Such courts may handle matters 
relating to the process of naturalization in the terri¬ 
tory in which they have jurisdiction. 

Cost of Naturalization: See Fees for Naturalization. 

Crete: An island in the Mediterranean, south of Greece. 
Natives of Crete may become citizens of the United 
States through the process of naturalization. 

Croatia: Part of Kingdom of Serbia. Croats and Slo¬ 
venes may become citizens of the United States 
through the process of naturalization. 

Cuba: An island in the West Indies. Citizens of the 
Republic of Cuba may become citizens of the United 
States through the process of naturalization. 

Czecho-Slovak Republic: Located in Europe. Was part 
of Austria-Hungary. Citizens of the Czecho-Slovak 
Republic may become citizens of the United States 
through the process of naturalization, but because 
they were subjects of Germany or Austria-Hungary 
before the war with Germany and Austria they are 
classified as alien enemies and must secure relief 
from classification of alien enemy. 

Dalmatia: Part of Austria, Austria-Hungary. 

Date of Arrival: See Arrival. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 






20 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Days when Naturalization Papers May Be Filed: Papers 
may be filed any business day during regular office 
hours, except that it is not legal to make a Declara¬ 
tion of Intention on election day, or within thirty days 
preceding an election within the jurisdiction of the 
court. 

December 7, 1917:.Date of beginning of war with 

Austria. 

Declarant: Any alien who has made a Declaration of 
Intention is called a declarant. 

Declaration of Intention: This is the first paper signed 
by an alien who desires to become a citizen of the 
United States. It is called a Declaration of Inten¬ 
tion because the form is such that it does declare the 
intention of the man who signs it to become a citi¬ 
zen of this country. It is the first step in the process 
of naturalization. It can be filled out and signed at 
any time, except within 30 days prior to an election, in 
the office of the clerk of the court. It is good for seven 
years, this seven years including the anniversary of 
the day it was made. At the end of the seven years it 
expires, and if the petition for naturalization has not 
been filed, a new Declaration of Intention must be 
made. Copies of a form, No. 2213, called ‘‘Facts for 
Declaration of Intention,” can be obtained from the 
Clerk of the Court, and filled out at the convenience 
of the alien and then taken to the court for reference 
by the Clerk in making out the Declaration of In¬ 
tention, which is signed by the alien. The Declaration 
of Intention is usually referred to as the first paper, 
and sometimes as first citizen paper. It must be two 
years old before the declarant may file a petition for 
naturalization. A Declaration of Intention does not 
change an alien’s status. He continues to be an 
alien until he is admitted to citizenship. Matter ap¬ 
pearing on a declaration of intention is as follows: 

DECLARATION OF INTENTION. 

(Invalid for all purposes seven years after the date 
hereof.) 

., ss: 

I,., aged.years, occupation., 

do declare on oath (affirm) that my personal de- 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 









AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARV 


21 


scription is : Color., complexion., height 

., weight., color of hair., color of 

eyes ., other visible distinctive marks .; 

I was born in ., on the . day of ., 

anno Domini .; I now reside at.; I emi¬ 
grated to the United States of America from., 

on the vessel .; my last foreign residence was 

. It is my bona fide intention to renounce for¬ 
ever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, 
potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to 
.., of which I am now a citizen (subject); I ar¬ 
rived at the (port) of ., in the State (Terri¬ 
tory or the District of Columbia) of ., on or 

about the.day of., anno Domini.; 

I am not an anarchist; I am not a polygamist nor a 
believer in the practice of polygamy; and it is my 
intention in good faith to become a citizen of the 
United States of America and to permanently reside 
therein. So help me God. 

(Original signature of declarant). 

Subscribed and sworn to (affirmed) before me this 

. day of ., anno Domini . 

(L.S.) ., 

(Official character of attestor.) 

Declaration of Intention Not Required: See Service to 
the United States in War with Germany and Austria- 
Hungary. See Erroneously Exercised Citizenship. 
See Disabled Soldier. 

Declaration of Intention Lost or Destroyed: In case a 
Declaration of Intention is lost or destroyed, applica¬ 
tion for a new one should be made on form No. 2225y 
obtainable from the Clerk of the Court. 

Declarants Who Claimed Exemption tio Escape Military 
Service: See Exemption claimed by declarants who 
surrendered their declaration of intention, and ex¬ 
emption from military service claimed by declarants 
who did not surrender their declarations. 

Declarant’s Widow: See Widow of Declarant. 

Delays: Real or apparent delays in securing papers, 
by the alien result from several reasons. In such 
cases locate the alien in the process of naturalization, 
and find out which of the following reasons exist, and 
proceed as suggested._ 

Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 






























22 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


(a) In case an alien arrived after June 29, 1906, 
he may be delayed by inability to secure a certificate 
of arrival. This may occur for two reasons: the first 
is that these certificates are secured for the alien, by 
the Bureau of Naturalization from the Bureau of 
Immigration and at the present time the Bureau of 
Immigration is behind in this work and consequently 
cannot give prompt service. It is advised that when a 
certificate of arrival is not received within _ two 
months after application is made that a duplicate 
application be made and marked “second request,” 
and forwarded, through the clerk of the court to the 
Bureau of Naturalization, the same as the first, and 
if no response is received a third application be filled 
out, and sent to the Congressman in the congressional 
district with a letter explaining the circumstances. 

(b) In some cases a certifiacte of arrival cannot 
be supplied because the alien was never inspected, 
that is, he came into this country without passing 
through a regular port of entry. Find out whether 
this condition exists, and if so follow suggestions 
made under inspection. The record of inspection may 
have been lost. See inspection. 

(c) In case an alien was a subject of Germany or 
Austria, his petition will not be heard in court until 
he has secured relief from the classification of alien 
enemy. Refer to this for directions as to how to pro¬ 
ceed. Many clerks of courts are not familiar with 
this practice, and are therefore unable to advise alien 
enemies who do not understand why they are not noti¬ 
fied to appear in court. 

Denmark: Located in Europe. Danes may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Department of Justice: One of the Departments of the 
United States Government. The Attorney General is 
the head of this department. He is a member of the 
President’s cabinet. There are local offices of the 
department of justice in many cities and they are 
usually located in the Federal building. 

Department of Labor: This is one of the Departments 
of the Government. The Secretary of Labor is a 
member of the President’s Cabinet. In this Depart- 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


23 


ment are the Bureau of Immigration and the Bureau 
of Naturalization. 

Department of State: One of the departments of the 
United States government. The Secretary of State 
is a member of the President's Cabinet. 

Depositions: Any alien who has resided in the state 

where he files ^ his petition for naturalization more 
than one year just prior to filing petition but for less 
than five years, is required to prove that part of his 
residence in other states by witnesses in the places 
where he previously lived. Affidavits of two or more 
witnesses who knew him in his previous place of resi¬ 
dence are required. If he lived in more than one 
state during the five years before coming to the state 
in which his petition is filed, he must secure affidavits 
from two or more persons in each state. These affi¬ 
davits are called depositions and when required the 
petitioner should first file his petition for naturaliza¬ 
tion in the presence of his two local witnesses and 
should then secure the clerk of the court Form No. 
2220. Notice to Take Depositions, and should fill 
it out and send it to the Chief Naturalization Ex¬ 
aminer in the district where witnesses are located, 
that is, in the place where he previously lived. The 
Chief Naturalization Examiner of that district will 
name the notary public and set the time and place 
for the witnesses named in 'me form No. 2220 to ap¬ 
pear, and will then advise the petitioner as to the 
officer, time and place set for taking the depositions, 
in ample time for the petitioner to notify his wit¬ 
nesses. In case petitioner has changed residence 
within the state, he cannot use depositions. Witnesses 
from other cities within the state where petition is 
filed, must appear personally at the time of the peti¬ 
tioner’s appearance in court. 

Derivative Citizenship: By derivative citizenship is 
meant the citizenship secured by any person without 
effort on his part. A wife becomes a citizen upon the 
naturalization of her husband. Foreign-horn minor 
children residing in the United States and under 
twenty-one years of age become citizens upon the 
naturalization of their father, or upon naturaliza¬ 
tion of their mother after the death of the father. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 





24 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


This is usually called citizenship by act of Congress. 
See Children's Citizenship. See Woman’s Citizenship. 

Deserter: Persons who desert from the Anny or Navy 
of the United States are considered to have given up 
and forfeited their rights as citizens and also their 
rights to become citizens. 

Destroyed Citizenship Paper: See Form 2225. 

Destroyed Certificate of Naturalization: See Form 
2225. 

Disability: Persons who were disabled in the United 
States Government Service have special consideration 
under the Naturalization Laws. See Disabled Sol¬ 
diers. 

Disabled Soldiers: Any person who served in the 
United States Army or Navy, during the war with 
Germany and Austria-Hungary, and who was honor¬ 
ably discharged on account of disability incurred in 
the line of duty shall not be required to prove five 
years’ residence in the United States. He may peti¬ 
tion for naturalization and be admitted to citizenship 
on presentation of his honorable discharge after pre¬ 
liminary examination by a naturalization examiner, 
but he must be accompanied by two credible wit¬ 
nesses, who are citizens of the United States, and 
who make sworn statements that the petitioner is 
the person named in the honorable discharge. Such 
a petition may be presented in any court at any 
time, and it is unnecessary for the petitioner to have 
made a Declaration of Intention. 

Discharge from Draft: Men who were taken into the 
Army under the selective service law, (draft law), 
and were immediately discharged for physical or 
other disability, were given a discharge from the 
draft which differs materially from a discharge from 
the Army. There are no special privileges given to 
men discharged from the draft. 

Discharge from State Militia: See Militia. 

Dismissal of Petition: When the court rejects a peti¬ 
tion for any legal reason, or because the petitioner 
has failed to appear in court when notified, usually 
referred to as lack of prosecution, or because he has 
failed to prepare himself in dvil government and his- 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 25 

tory of the United States, or because of evidence of 
bad moral character, the case is dismissed. The pe¬ 
titioner may file a new petition providing the cause 
for dismissal has been cured. In case it is a matter 
of an act of bad character, petitioner must wait five 
years from date of act before filing a new petition. 
In case the Declaration of Intention expires between 
the date of the petition which was dismissed and the 
time when the alien can again petition, he must make 
a new Declaration of Intention. 

Dismissed for Lack of Prosecution; See Dismissal of 
Petition. 

Director of Citizenship; Chief of the Division of Citi¬ 
zenship Training in the Bureau of Natualization, 
Washington, D. C. 

Discharge from the Army; There are three styles of 
discharge from the Army, the honorable discharge, 
printed on white paper; the ordinary discharge, 
printed on blue paper; and the dishonorable dis¬ 
charge, printed on yellow paper. 

District; In matters relating to naturalization, district 
means naturalization district. 

English Language Required; An alien must be able to 
speak English when he files his Petition for Natural¬ 
ization. 

Distri*ct of Columbia; A geographical unit of the 
United States. The city of Washington is in the 
District of Columbia. 

Division of Citizenship Training; This is a division of 
the Naturalization Bureau. The head of this division 
is the Director of Citizenship. The Division of Citi¬ 
zenship Training co-operates with schools, clubs, fac¬ 
tories, etc., in establishing classes for training aliens 
preparatory to passing the tests given by the Bureau 
of Naturalization for admission to citizenship. This 
Division solicits and welcomes inquiries, which should 
be addressed to the Director of Citizenship, Bureau 
of Naturalization, Washington, D. C. 

Dominican Republic; Located on Santo Domingo, an 
Island in the West Indies. Dominicans may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




26 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Doubt! As to Right of Naturalization: Where the right 
of an alien to become a citizen of the United States 
through the process of naturalization is doubtful he 
had better file a petition for naturalization and have 
court determine his right in regular manner. See 
Clerk must accept petition for naturalization. 

Draft Classification 5E: An arbitrary classification 
given to an alien enemy. Alien enemies were not re¬ 
quired to serve in the Armies of the United States. 

Draft Classification 5F: This means assignment of a 
neutral alien to class 5F by the Draft Board because 
the alien claimed exemption from military service, in 
his questionaire because he was an alien. 

Duties of a Citizen: To vote regularly, to know of and 
about men and affairs relating to city, state and na¬ 
tional administration, and to discuss all subjects of 
public interest constructively, looking to the great¬ 
est good for the greatest number, to be personally 
responsible for bringing alien people into citizenship, 
and to defend the country in time of war. 

Dumb: See, Aliens Physically Unable to Speak 

Duplicate Certificate of Naturalization: See Form 2225. 

Duplicate Declaration of Intention: See Form No. 2225. 

Ecuador: Located in South America. Ecudorians may 
become citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

Educational Qualifications: A petitioner for natural¬ 
ization must be able to write his own name and must 
be able to speak the English language and must have 
a knowledge of history and government of the United 
States, which is satisfactory to the judge of the court. 
There is only one exception to the requirement that a 
petitioner speak the English language. This is de¬ 
fined under Homestead Entry. An alien making a 
Declaration of Intention does not need any of the 
above qualifications. 

Egypt: Located in Africa. See Africa. 

Election Day: It is not legal to file a Declaration of 
Intention within thirty days preceding the holding of 
any election in the jurisdiction of the court. No 
Petition for Naturalization may be heard by 
the court within thirty days of a general election 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


27 


within the jurisdiction of the court. A petition may 
be filed at any time. 

Enemy Alien; See Alien Enemy. 

England; Located in Europe. English may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Erroneously Exercised Citizenship; A man who be¬ 
lieved he was a citizen, who voted, who served on a 
jury or performed other duties of a citizen may, un¬ 
der certain conditions, file a petition for naturaliza¬ 
tion without a Declaration of Intention. If he were 
not an alien enemy and had lived, without interrup¬ 
tion, within the United States during the five years 
preceding July 1, 1914, and on July 1, 1914, was quali¬ 
fied to become a citizen, except that he had not made 
a Declaration of Intention, and who during or before 
that time, (1909-1914), because of misunderstanding 
regarding his citizenship, had exercised the rights and 
performed the duties of a citizen, may file a petition 
for naturalization, without making a Declaration of 
Intention, and upon satisfactory proof to the court, 
that he has so acted, he may be admitted to citizen^ 
ship. When his petition is filed, he must be accom¬ 
panied by two witnesses and must fulfill all of the 
conditions required of any petitioner for naturaliza¬ 
tion. This means that any man who has believed, 
over the period named above, that he was a citizen 
and that he has acted like one, does not need a first 
paper. The courts are particular in these cases, and 
the alien who desires to take advantage of this pro¬ 
vision of the law must clearly show that he acted as 
a citizen and had every reason for believing that he 
was a citizen. 

Establishing Residence; A petitioner for naturalization 
must prove that he has lived where he claims to have 
lived by the evidence of his two witnesses. See De¬ 
position. See Continuous Residence. 

Examination; All petitioners are examined by a nat¬ 
uralization examiner, either before the session of the 
court, at which they are to appear, this examination 
being called the preliminary examination, or in open 
court at the time of his appearance in court. The 
examination is for the purpose of determining the 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




28 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


petitioner’s eligibility for citizenship and knowledge 
of United States Government and United States 
History. 

Exception from Classification of Alien Enemy: See 
Relief from Classification of Alien Enemy. 

Exceptions Under Law: Under certain conditions, 
some of the steps in the naturalization process may 
be omitted. See Service to United States Government. 
See Erroneously Exercised Citizenship. See Home¬ 
stead Entry. See Disabled Soldiers. 

Exemption from Military Service Claimed by Declarants 
Who Did Not Surrender Their Declaration of Inten¬ 
tion: Aliens who had made a Declaration of Inten¬ 
tion and in their questionnaire claimed exemption 
from military service during the war with Germany 
and Austria because they were not citizens of the 
United States, are denied citizenship by the courts 
on the grounds that their declaration was made in¬ 
valid by their action in claiming exemption and be¬ 
cause by so doing they indicated their unwillingness 
to assume the duties of a citizen of the United States. 
This relates to all aliens. These men are usually re¬ 
quired to wait five years before filing a new petition. 

Exemption from Military Service Claimed by Aliens 
Who Were Not Declarants: These men are in a 
peculiar position because their declaration must have 
been made after they claimed exemption. Their status 
has not been ruled upon and the disposition of such 
cases is determined by the court. For specific infor¬ 
mation address the Chief Naturalization Examiner. 

Exemption from Military Service Claimed by Declarants 
Who Surrendered Their Declaration of Intention: 
Men who had made a Declaration of Intention and 
who surrendered it to avoid military service, came 
under the provisions of the law passed in July of 
1918, in accordance with which such aliens executed 
an affidavit stating that they understood that under 
the law they would be forever barred from becoming 
citizens of the United States. This relates to neutral 
aliens only. They are barred from becoming citizens. 

Expatriation: When a citizen of the United States be¬ 
comes a naturalized citizen of any foreign state, or 
when he takes an oath of allegiance to any foreign 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See paige 6. 





AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


29 


state, or when he has lived in the land from which he 
originally came for two years or in any other land 
outside of the United States for five years, he has 
expatriated himself, which means that unless he has 
complied with the regulations of the state department 
he has lost his American citizenship. See Loss of 
Citizenship. No citizen is allowed to expatriate him¬ 
self during the time the United States is at war. 

Expense of Naturalization: See Fees for Naturaliza¬ 
tion. 

Expense of Subpoena: See Subpoena. 

Expiration of a Declaration of Intention: A Declara¬ 
tion of Intention expires seven years from date of 
filing. 

Facts for Declaration of Intention: This is the heading 
on Form No. 2218. It is merely memoranda from 
which the Clerk of the court prepares the Declaration 
of Intention. 

Facts for Petition for Naturalization: This is the head¬ 
ing on the Form No. 221 A. It is merely memoranda 
from which the Clerk of the court prepares the peti¬ 
tion. 

Failure to Prepare: See Dismissal of Petition. 

Family: See Woman*s Citizenship. See Children*s 
Citizenship. See Families of Aliens. 

Families of Aliens: The naturalization law does not 
specifically require that an alien must have his fam¬ 
ily in the United States before he may be natural¬ 
ized, but courts do not, as a rule, admit aliens to citi¬ 
zenship who have not shown their intention to reside 
permanently in the United States by bringing their 
families to this country. It is also against public pol¬ 
icy to admit such persons to citizenship because it 
may aid in the separation of families. The usual 
practice of the court is to continue the petition for a 
reasonable time to enable the petitioner to bring his 
family to this country. 

Federal Building: The Building in which the post-office 
is located. 

Fees for Naturalization: The law provides that a fee 
of $1.00 be charged by the Clerk of the Court when 
the Decla/ration of Intention is filed, and that a fee 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




80 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


of $4.00 be charged when a petition for naturaliza¬ 
tion is filed. There are severe penalties for charging 
more than these fees by Clerks. Fees charged by 
Clerks for depositions should not exceed five dollars. 
The Bureau of Naturalization discourages charges 
for service to aliens on the part of citizens or organi¬ 
zations. 

Fiji Islands: Located in Southern Pacific Ocean. Na¬ 
tives may not become citizens of the United States. 

Filed: When a paper is filled out and signed in the 
Office of the Clerk of the Court and given to the Clerk 
with the appropriate fee, it is said to be filed. 

Filing Petition for Citizenship: This is a term which 
means the same thing as filing petition for naturaliza¬ 
tion. 

Final Hearing: This is a term used to describe the 
appearance in court of the petitioner for naturaliza¬ 
tion. It is the last appearance of the petitioner in 
the process of naturalization and for that reason is 
called the final hearing. 

Final Papers: This is a term used to indicate the 

Certificate of Naturalization. 

Finland: Part of Russia. Located in Europe. Finns 
may become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

First Paper: This is a term used to designate the 
Declaration of Intention^ which is the first paper 
signed in the process of naturalization. 

First Paper Lost or Destroyed. See Form No. 2225. 

First Paper Man: A term used to designate a dec¬ 
larant. 

Five Years’ Residence: Five years’ continuous residence 
in the United States, immediately preceding the date 
of filing a petition for naturalization, is required by 
the Naturalization Laws and Regulations. 

Five Years’ Residence Not Required: Under certain 
conditions five years’ residence is not required. See 
Service to United States. See Homestead Entry. 
See Disabled Soldiers. 

Foreign-Bom Minor Children: These are children of 
alien parents bom outside of the United States and 
outside of the jurisdiction of the United States who 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


81 


have not reached the age of twenty-one. These chil¬ 
dren, if residing in the United States, become citi¬ 
zens upon the naturalization of their father, if he is 
naturalized before they are twenty-one. 

Form No. 2213: This is a Form furnished by the Gov- 
ernrnent. It is headed *'Facts for Declaration of In¬ 
tention/* It can be obtained from the Clerk of the 
Court, or from the Chief Naturalization Examiner, in 
the District, and from teachers in public schools, fac¬ 
tory or other classes. It should be filled out at home 
or at any convenient time or place and taken to the 
Clerk of the Court as memoranda from which he fills 
out the original of the Declaration of Intention. 

Form No. 2214; This is a Form furnished by the Gov¬ 
ernment and is headed “Facts for Petition for Nat¬ 
uralization,** for use of aliens who came to this coun¬ 
try before June 29th, 1906, This can be obtained 
from the Clerk of the Court, or from the Chief Nat¬ 
uralization Examiner in any District, or from teach¬ 
ers in the schools, factory, or other classes. It should 
be filled out at home or at any other place and taken 
to the Clerk of the Court, who will use it for refer¬ 
ence in making out the actual petition for naturaliza¬ 
tion. It is merely a memoranda for the use of the 
Clerk. 

Form No. 2220: This is a Government Form to be used 
in case a petitioner for naturalization needs to secure 
a deposition from witnesses in cities in other states. 
It can be obtained from the Clerk of the Court or 
from the Chief Naturalization Examiner in any Dis¬ 
trict. See Depositions. 

Form No. 2225: This is a Form furnished by the Gov¬ 
ernment for the purpose of obtaining a copy of lost 
or destroyed naturalization papers. It can be ob¬ 
tained from the Clerk of the Court or from the Chief 
Naturalization Examiner in any District. 

Form No. 2226: This is a Form furnished by the Gov¬ 
ernment in which is combined the request for Cer¬ 
tificate of Arrival and Facts for Petition for Natural¬ 
ization. It is for the use of aliens who arrived after 
June 29, 1906. It can be obtained from the Clerk of 
the Court or the Chief Naturalization Examiner in 


Words in iffl/tV/ have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6^ 




32 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


the District, or from teachers in citizenship classes. 
It should be filled out at home or at any convenient 
time or place and mailed to the Commissioner of Nat¬ 
uralization, Washington, D. C. 

France: Located in Europe. French may become citi¬ 
zens of the United States through the process of nat¬ 
uralization. 

Fraud in Securing Naturalization: In case a Certificate 
or Naturalization is secured by false representation, 
by fraud of any kind, or incorrect decision of court, it 
may be cancelled by action of the court. Such action 
is usually initiated by the United States Attorney. 

Galicia: Part of Austria. See Austria. 

Germany: Located in Europe. Citizens of Germany 
may become citizens of the United States through the 
naturalization process, but because they were subjects 
of Germany before the war with Germany and Aus¬ 
tria they are classified as alien enemies and must se¬ 
cure relief from classification of alien enemy. 

Good Moral Character: Proof of good moral character 
is required under the naturalization law. This means 
that the man must have stood well in the community, 
looked after his family properly and observed the 
laws. Good moral character is required to be proven 
for a period of five years immediately preceding the 
date of filing of petition. If a man has been con¬ 
victed of a crime or has committed any act which 
would seriously affect his character, it is evident that 
he should not file a petition for five years from the 
time of such action. 

Good Conduct: See Certificate of Good Conduct. 

Greece: Located in Europe. Greeks may become citi¬ 
zens of the United States through the p^'ocess of nat¬ 
uralization. 

Greenland: Located in North Polar Regions. Danish 
Colony. See Denmark. 

Guatemala: Located in Central America. Guatamal- 
ians may become citizens of the United States through 
the process of naturalization, 

Guiana; British, Dutch, French: All located in South 
America. Citizens may become citizens of the United 
States through the process of naturalization. 


Words in tfa/ia have separate definitions. Ask questions. Seepages. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


83 


Haiti; An island in the West Indies. Haitians may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

Hawaiian Islands: A territory of the United States. 
Natives of the Hawaiian Islands are citizens of the 
United States. 

Hearing in Court: This is a term used to designate the 
final appearance of the petitioner in the process of 
naturalization. The petitioner is notified by the Clerk 
of the Court to appear in court, with his two wit¬ 
nesses, on a certain day at a certain hour. His name 
is called by the Clerk of the Court, and he and his 
witnesses stand before the Judge and the Naturaliza¬ 
tion Examiner representing the Government examines 
them. If the petitioner shows proper knowledge of 
the United States History and United States Gov¬ 
ernment, or if he has passed a satisfactory examina¬ 
tion in his preliminary examination, and if the tes¬ 
timony of his witnesses proves five years’ continuous 
residence and good moral character, he is admitted 
to citizenship by the court after taking the oath of 
allegiance. 

Hearing, Notification of; See Notification of Hearing. 

Hebrews: See Jews. 

Hereditary Title: If an alien, who has filed a petition 
for naturalization, has had an hereditary title, or has 
any order of nobility, in the kingdom or state from 
which he came, he must renounce his title or order of 
nobility in the court in which his petition is filed. 

Homestjead Entry: Any alien who has declared his in¬ 
tention to become a citizen of the United States, and 
who makes a homestead entry on the public lands of 
the United States, is not required to speak English 
in order to be admitted to citizenship. 

Honduras: Located in Central America. Citizens of 
the Republic of Honduras may become citizens of the 
United States through the process of naturalization. 

Honorable Discharge: When a man who has served 
in the Ai-my or Navy or in any branch of the United 
States service for the period of his enlistment, with 
honor, he is given an honorable discharge. 

Hungary: See Austria-Hungary. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 





84 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Illiterate Alien: Aliens who cannot read or write their 
own or any other language are illiterate aliens. 

Immigrant: Any person who comes into the United 
States from any other country with a purpose of 
making the United States his home, is an immigrant. 

Immigratibn Authorities: Officials of the Bureau of 
Immigration. 

Immigration Bureau: See Bureau of Immigration. 

India: Located in Asia. Hindoos are generally allowed 
to become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

Indian: An American-bom Indian becomes a citizen of 
the United States when he leaves his tribe. No pro¬ 
vision is made for his naturalization except by special 
act of Congress. Foreign-born Indians may not be¬ 
come citizens of the United States. 

Inspector in Charge: This is the official title of the 
Chief of any Immigration Office. See Inspection. 

Inspection: Every immigrant coming to the United 
States must be inspected. In each Port of Entry in 
the United States, are officials of the Bureau of Im¬ 
migration who examine them. This is called “in¬ 
spection.” Each alien is examined to determine his 
physical and mental condition, and to learn whether 
he has the necessary educational qualifications re¬ 
quired by the law. A record is made and kept. Based 
on this information, the Bureau of Immigration is¬ 
sues a Certificate of Arrival, required by an alien who 
arrived in the United States after June 29th, 1906, 
before he can file his petition for naturalization. In 
cases where aliens came to the United States without 
passing through a port of entry and are not inspected, 
it is necessary for them to be inspected by officials 
of the Bureau of Immigration before a Certificate 
of Arrival can be issued to them. To secure such 
an inspection the alien must write the Commissioner 
of Naturalization, Bureau of Naturalization, Wash¬ 
ington, D. C., explaining the circumstances of his 
arrival and asking permission to appear before an 
inspector of the Bureau of Immigration. Permis¬ 
sion will be granted by the Commissioner of Nat¬ 
uralization and information will be given by him as 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


85 


to the nearest office of the Bureau of Immigration, 
to which he may go for inspection. After the alien 
appears before the inspector in charge and passes a 
satisfactory examination, notice will be sent by the 
Bureau of Naturalization and a Certificate of Ar¬ 
rival for the alien will be sent to the court in which 
he has indicated his desire to petition for naturaliza¬ 
tion. In case he cannot appear personally within 
four months before an inspector, a blank form will 
be sent to him by the Inspector, and this form will 
be filled out by the alien and returned to the inspec¬ 
tor, and this will be accepted as an inspection in 
place of a personal inspection. This kind of an in¬ 
spection is called a^nunc pro tunc.” 

Inspector: An official of the Bureau of Immigration. 
See Inspection. 

Ireland: Located in Europe. Irish may become citi¬ 
zens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Irregular Arrival: This is a term used to describe the 
arrival of an immigrant who comes into this country 
without passing through a port of entry and without 
being inspected by the Immigration Officials. 

Italy: Located in Europe. Italians may become citi¬ 
zens of the United States through the process of nat¬ 
uralization. 

Japan: Located in Asia. Japanese may not become 
citizens of the United States. 

Jews: May become citizens of the United States through 
the process of naturalization. If subjects of Ger¬ 
many, see Germany. If subjects of Austria-Hungary, 
see Austria-Hungary. 

Judge of the Court: A judge presiding in the court in 
which matters relating to naturalization are handled 
is called the judge of the court. 

June 29th, 1906: This is the date when the law requir¬ 
ing a Certificate of Arrival was passed. Aliens com¬ 
ing before this date do not require a Certificate of 
Arrival to petition for naturalization. Aliens arriv¬ 
ing after this date require a Certificate of Arrival 
in order to petition for naturalization. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




36 AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 

Jurisdiction: Legal authority, extent of power, district 
over which any authority extends. 

Jurisdiction of Court: This means the territory in 
which the court has authority. A city court has 
jurisdiction within the city, a county court within a 
county and the United States Courts have jurisdic¬ 
tion over their respective districts. 

Jurisdiction of the United States: The territory in 
which the United States has authority and control. 

Korea; Located in Asia. Koreans may not become citi¬ 
zens of the United States. 

Legal Fees: See Fee sfor Naturalization. 

Length of Residence for Citizenship: A minimum time 
of five years and three months must elapse before a 
person may become a citizen of the United States 
through the process of naturalization. This comprises 
five years’ residence in the United States immediately 
preceding the time when petition is filed and at least 
ninety days between the time petition is filed and 
date of appearance in court. The residence for year 
immediately preceding the petition must be in the 
state in which application is made. 

Liberia: Located in Africa. See Africa. 

Liechtenstein: Located in Europe. Citizens of Liech¬ 
tenstein may become citizens of the United States 
through the process of naturalization. 

Line of Duty: A soldier or sailor or anyone in the 
United States military or naval service is serving 
in the line of duty when performing any or all of the 
duties required by a soldier or a man serving in that 
branch of the service. 

Lithuania: Located in Europe. Citizens of Lithuania 
may become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

Lorraine: See Alsace-Lorraine. 

Loss of Citizenship: Citizenship may be lost under cer¬ 
tain conditions. An American-born woman who mar¬ 
ries an alien loses her citizenship, and becomes a citi¬ 
zen of the nation to which her husband owes alleg¬ 
iance. An American loses his citizenship by expat¬ 
riation, that is, by becoming a citizen of another 
country or by taking an oath of allegiance to another 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


87 


country. Any person loses his citizenship through 
desertion from the army or navy or from any branch 
of the military or naval service of the government, 
or a person may lose his citizenship by the cancel¬ 
lation of his Certificate of Naturalization by the 
court, or by giving an oath of allegiance to a for¬ 
eign country for military sei^ce or for any other 
reason, and a naturalized citizen loses his citizen¬ 
ship by residing in the foreign state from which he 
came, for two years, or in any other foreign state 
for five years unless he complies with the regulations 
of the State Department as to registering with Con¬ 
suls. 

Lost Certificate of Naturalization: See Form No. 2225. 

Lost Citizenship Papers: See Form No. 2225. 

Lost Declaration of Intention: See Form No. 2225. 

Lost Naturalization Papers: See Form No. 2225. 

Lost Record of Inspection: In some cases the inspection 
record of an alien has been lost. This makes it neces- 
saiy that a new inspection should be given, in the 
same way as in cases of irregular arrival. See In- 
spection. 

Lost Second Paper: See Form No. 2225. 

Luxemburg: Located in Europe. Citizens of Luxem¬ 
burg may become citizens of the United States 
through the process of naturalization. 

Malay States: Located in Asia. Natives of the Malay 
States may not become citizens of the United States. 

Manchuria: Part of China. See China. 

Marine Corps: This is a branch of the navy. It is 
composed of men who serve on warships. See Ser¬ 
vice to United States. 

Marriage: See Woman*s Citizenship. See Children*s 
Citizenship. 

Men Who Refused Naturalization in the Army: Men 
Who Declined Naturalization in the Army when of¬ 
fered it under the special privileges given to soldiers 
must go through the entire process of naturalization 
just as though they had not been in the service. This 
means that they must make a new Declaration of In¬ 
tention and after two years file a petition for natural¬ 
ization. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See parge 6. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Men Who Served in Allied Armies in War with Germany 
and Austria: See Service in Allied Armies. 

Mexico; Located in North America. Mexicans may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

Military and Naval Service: See Service to the United 
States. 

Mistakes in Declaration and Petition: Purely clerical 
errors may be corrected with the consent of the court. 
Incorrect or incomplete statement of former alleg¬ 
iance invalidates the Declaration. If a name, other 
than the legal name, is used in either the Declara¬ 
tion or the Petition correction can be made, with con¬ 
sent of the court, upon proper proof and identifica¬ 
tion. 

Militia: Discharge from State Militia is not a dis¬ 
charge from the service of the United States. An 
honorable discharge from the State Militia has no 
value in the naturalization process, except when the 
militia has been engaged in federal service. See 
Service to United States. 

Monaco: Located in Europe. Citizens of Monaco may 
become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

Montenegro: Located in Europe. Citizens of Monte¬ 
negro may become citizens of the United States 
through the process of naturalization. 

Morocco: Located in Africa. Moroccoans may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Name: Every alien should put into all naturalization 
papers, the name he went by in the old country, and 
any new name he is known by in this country. 

Name Changed: In case an alien desires to change his 
name, he may do so at the time he is admitted to citi¬ 
zenship. In case he desires to do this, it should be so 
stated in his petition. 

Name of Ship; The name of the ship or railroad by 
which the alien came to the United States must be 
given in all naturalization papers. Without the name 
of the ship or railroad it is difficult for immigration 
officials to locate records of inspection. The respon- 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


89 


sibility of furnishing this information rests on the 
alien. 

National Army; See Service to United States. 

National Guard: See Service to United States. See 
Militia. 

Nativity: A man is a native of the land in which he 
was born. 

Naturalization: This is the legal process provided by 
the United States laws, under which a citizen of 
another nation may become a citizen of the United 
States. See Process of Naturalization. 

Naturalized: Any person who has been given citizen¬ 
ship through the process of naturalization and any¬ 
one deriving citizenship through the naturalization of 
parents or husbands, are said to be naturalized. 

Naturalization Bureau: Bureau of Naturalization. 

Naturalized Citizen: A foreign-born man or woman 
who has become a citizen of the United States through 
the process of naturalization, is a naturalized citi¬ 
zen. 

Naturalization Court: See Court, Naturalization. 

Naturalization District: One of the Divisions into 
which the United States is divided for the adminis¬ 
tration of the Naturalization Laws. Offices in each 
district are as follows: 

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, 
Connecticut and Rhode Island—James Farrell, Chief 
Naturalization Examiner, 721 Old South Building, 
Boston, Mass. 

Northern, Eastern and Southern New York and 
« Hudson County, N. J.—Merton A. Sturges, Chief 
Naturalization Examiner, 5 Beckman Street, New 
York, N. Y. 

Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, 
Delaware and New Jersey (except Hudson County) 
J. G. Gurnett, Chief Naturalization Examiner, Fed¬ 
eral Building, Philadelphia, Pa. 

Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, 
Louisiana, Maryland (except counties of Allegany, 
Frederick, Garrett and Washington), Mississippi, 
North Carolina, Porto Rico, South Carolina, Tennes¬ 
see (except Shelby County), Texas and Virginia) — 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




40 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Oran T. Moore, Chief Naturalization Examiner, De¬ 
partment of Labor, Washington, D. C. 

Western Pennsylvania, Western New York, West 
Virginia, Ohio, counties of Allegany, Frederick, Gar¬ 
rett and Washington, Md., Kentucky and Southern 
Indiana—William M. Kagsdale, Chief Naturalization 
Examiner, Federal Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Southern Wisconsin, Northern Indiana, Northern 
Illinois, Jeiferson County, Ky., Southern Peninsula of 
Michigan, and Mackinac County, Mich.—Fred J. 
Schlotfeldt, Chief Naturalization Examiner, Federal 
Building, Chicago, Ill. 

Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, 
Kansas, Shelby County, Tenn., and Southern Illinois 
—Morris E. Bevington, Chief aNturalization Exam¬ 
iner, Customhouse, St. Louis, Mo. 

Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Northern 
Wisconsin, and Northern Peninsula of Michigan (ex¬ 
cept Mackinac County)—Robert S. Coleman, Chief 
Naturalization Examiner, Federal Building, St. Paul, 
Minn. 

Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah and South¬ 
ern Idaho—Paul Armstrong, Chief Naturalization 
Examiner, Federal Building, Denver, Colo. 

Arizona, California and Nevada—George A. 
Crutchfield, Chief Naturalization Examiner, Federal 
Building, San Francisco, Cal. 

Washington, Oregon, Montana and Northern Idaho 
(except as otherwise assigned)—John Speed Smith, 
Chief Naturalization Examiner, Federal Building, 
Seattle, Wash. 

Alaska and Hawaii—United States Attorneys. 

Naturalization Examiner: A representative of the 
Naturalization Bureau, working under the Chief Nat¬ 
uralization Examiner, of a District, and represent¬ 
ing the Government in Court in Naturalization pro¬ 
ceedings. 

Naturalization Laws and Regulations: Copies of the 
Naturalization Laws and Regulation can be obtained 
by addressing the Bureau of Naturalization, Depart¬ 
ment of Labor, Washington, D. C., or the Chief Nat¬ 
uralization Examiner in any District, 


Words in ttfl/icj have separate definitions. Ask questions. Seepages. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


41 


Naturalization Offices; See Naturalization District. 

Naturalization Papers: The various fonus used in con¬ 
nection with the process of naturalization are called 
naturalization papers. 

Naturalization Process: See Process of Naturalization. 

Naturalization Service: This is a term used to desig¬ 
nate the Bureau of Naturalization and its various 
branches and employees. 

Naval Auxiliary Service: See Service to United States. 

Navy: Service in the United States Navy entitles the 
alien to special consideration. See Service to the 
United States. 

Netherlands: Located in Europe. Citizens of the Neth¬ 
erlands may become citizens of the United States 
through the process of naturalization. 

Newfoundland; Located in North America. Citizens 
of Newfoundland may become citizens of the United 
States through the process of naturalization, 

Nicaragua; Located in Central America. Nicaraguans 
may become citizens of the United States through 
the process of naturalization. 

Ninety Days: No petition for naturalization can be 
heard in less than ninety days, from the date of filing 
petition excluding date of filing and date of hearing, 
except in cases of Service to United States. See 
Posting Names of Petitioners. 

Nobilitjy: See Hereditary Titles. 

Norway: Located in Europe. Norwegians may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

Notice of Preliminary Examination: Notices of the day 
and hour that the petitioner and his witnesses are to 
appear before the Naturalization Examiner for pre¬ 
liminary examination are sent out by the Chief Nat- 
urailzation Examiner in the District, several days in 
advance of the date set for the examination. 

Notice to Take Depositions: See Form No. 2220. 

Notification of Hearing: Notices are sent to the 
petitioner by the Clerk of the Court in the District 
in which the petitioner is located, telling him of the 
day and hour that he is to appear in court. The 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questiens. See page 6. 





42 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


petitioner must notify his witnesses. Sending these 
notices is an accommodation on the part of the clerk. 
The responsibility for knowing the time he is to 
appear in court rests with the alien. 

Nunc Pro Tunc Inspect)ion: See Inspection. 

Oath of Allegiance: The oath of allegiance must be 
taken by an alien when he has been admitted to citi¬ 
zenship by the court. It is as follows: 

‘T hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and 
entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidel¬ 
ity to any foreign prince, potentate, stj.te, or sover¬ 
eignty, and particularly to. 

the.of.of whom 

I have heretofore been a subject; that I will support 
and defend the Constitution and laws of the United 
States of America against all enemies, foreign and 
domestic; and that I will bear true faith and alleg¬ 
iance to the same.” 

Occupation: Occupation is the vocation or trade fol¬ 
lowed by the alien in making his living. 

Office Hours: The hours when the ofiice of the Clerk 
of the Court is open for carrying on the regular busi¬ 
ness of the court. 

Officials of the Bureau of Immigration at the Port| of 
Entry: These are the representatives of the Bureau 
of Immigration, and their work is the inspection of 
aliens and keeping the records of their entrance into 
this country. 

Omission of Certificate of Arrival: Persons arriving 
in the United States before June 29th, 1906, soldiers 
while in service and honorably discharged soldiers 
who served in the world war do not need a Certifi¬ 
cate of Arrival. 

Omission of Declaration of Intention: Certain aliens 
are permitted to file a petition for naturalization 
without a Declaration of Intention. See Service to 
the United States. See Erroneously Exercised Citi¬ 
zenship. See Disabled Soldiers. 

Omission of Proof of Five Years Residence: Certain 
aliens are permitted to petition for naturalization 
without proof of five years’ residence. See Service 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 







AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


43 


to United States. See Disabled Soldiers. See Sea^ 
men. 

One Yearns Residence in the State: An alien must live 
within the state in which he files his petition for nat¬ 
uralization for one year immediately preceding date 
of filing his petition. 

Open Court: The term is used in reference to peti¬ 
tioner’s appearance before the Judge sitting in regu¬ 
lar session to hear naturalization cases. It also means 
public hearing. 

Order of Court Admitting Petitioner: On the back of 
the copy of each petition is a blank form with the 
above heading, which is filled out by the Clerk of the 
Court and signed by the Judge after the petitioner 
is admitted to citizenship and before his Certificate 
of Naturalization is issued to him. 

Outlawed Declaration of Intention: The first paper, 
which is the Declaration of Intention, is good for 
seven years from date of filing. At the end of seven 
years, it expires and a new Declaration must be made. 

Panama: Located in Central America. Panamaians 
may become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

Papers: The Declaration of Intention and the Certifi¬ 
cate of Naturalization are referred to respectively, 
as first paper and second paper. If a man says, ^‘I 
have my papers,” it indicates that he thinks he is a 
citizen. If he says, ‘T have my first paper,” it in¬ 
dicates that he has made a Declaration of Intention. 
If he says, “I have asked for my second papers,” it 
means that he has petitioned for a Certificate of Nat¬ 
uralization. If he says, “I am trying to get my sec¬ 
ond papers,” it may mean that he has filed his peti¬ 
tion for naturalization and is held up because he is 
an alien enemy, or it may be that he is unable to peti¬ 
tion for citizenship because he has not secured a 
Certificate of Arrival. He may not have secured a 
Certificate of Arrival because of congestion in Wash¬ 
ington or Ellis Island or some port of entry, or be¬ 
cause he came into the country in an irregular arrival 
and, therefore, needs a special inspection. Some¬ 
times men refer to the application for Certificate of 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 




44 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Arrival as the second paper and to the petition for 
naturalization as the third paper. 

Paraguay; Located in South America. Paraguayans 
may become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

Passport Law: The existing passport law and regula¬ 
tions require immigrants to provide themselves with 
passports issued by the Government of which they 
are citizens or subjects. Subsequently such passports 
should be presented for visa to the United States 
Consul nearest to the immigrant’s place of residence, 
and again visaed by the United States Consul at the 
Port of Embarkation. This visaed passport is not 
to be considered as a guarantee that an alien will be 
admitted to this country. The Bureau of Immigra¬ 
tion declines to determine whether or not an alien is 
admissable until after arrival and personal inspec¬ 
tion at 'the port of entry. 

Passport: A passport may be obtained, by a natural¬ 
ized citizen, by presenting his Certificate of Natural¬ 
ization to the Clerk of a United States District Court, 
and making application through him to the Depart¬ 
ment of State. The applicant must furnish three 
photographs of himself, three inches square, and 
must have a witness who is a citizen of the United 
States, at the time of applying for the passport. The 
fee is $10.00. 

Personal Knowledge: Personal knowledge of a peti¬ 
tioner is required on the part of his witnesses. The 
courts and the Bureau of Naturalization interpret 
personal knowledge to mean that witnesses must 
have seen and talked with the petitioner at frequent 
intervals during the five-year period just preceding 
the date of his petition. It is desirable that witnesses 
have seen or talked with petitioner at least once a 
month during the five-year period and that they are 
intimate personal acquaintances. 

Personally Known: See Personal Knowledge. 

Peru: Located in South America. Peruvians may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

Petitioner: A person who has filed a petition for nat¬ 
uralization. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See pa«e 5. 





AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


46 


Petitioner for Citizenship: A person who has filed a 
petition for naturalization. 

Petition by Children of a Declarant Father Who Has 
Died: See Widow of Declarant. 

Petition for Citizenship: Means the same as Petition 
for Naturalization. 

Petitioner for Naturalization: One who has filed a 
petition for naturalization, also called a Petitioner, 

Petition for Naturalization: This is the application for 
second or final paper required in the process of nat¬ 
uralization. It is filled out in the office of the Clerk 
of the Court. See Form No. 2214- and see Form No. 
2226. The following is matter appearing on a Peti¬ 
tion for Naturalization: 

PETITION FOR NATURALIZATION. 

- Court of . 

In the matter of the petition of. to be 

admitted as a citizen of the United States of America. 
To the . Court: 

The petition of . respectfully shows: 

First. My full name is. 

Second. My place of residence is number . 

.street, city of., State (Territory or the 

District of Columbia) of . 

Third. My occupation is . 

Fourth. I was born on the . day of . 

at . 

Fifth. 1 emigrated to the United States from. , 

on or about the . day of ., anno Domini 

., and arrived at the port of ., in the 

United States, on the vessel . 

Sixth. I declared my intention to become a citi¬ 
zen of the United States on the.day of., 

at., in the.court of. 

Seventh. I am . married. My wife’s name is 

. She was born in.and now re¬ 
sides at . I have . children, and the 

name, date, and place of birth and place of residence 
of each of said children is as follows: .; 


Eighth. I am not a disbeliever in or opposed to 
organized government or a member of or affiliated 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 






































46 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


with any organization or body of persons teaching 
disbelief in organized government. I am not a polyg¬ 
amist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I 
am attached to the principles of the Constitution of 
the United States, and it is my intention to become 
a citizen of the United States and to renounce abso¬ 
lutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any 
foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and 

particularly to ., of which at this time I ani a 

citizen (or subject), and it is my intention to reside 
permanently in the United States. 

Ninth. I am able to speak the English language. 

Tenth. I have resided continuously in the United 
States of America for a term of five years at least 
immediately preceding the date of this petition, to 

wit, since ., anno Domini ., and in the 

State (Territory or the District of Columbia) of 

. for one year at least next preceding the date 

of this petition, to wit, since . day of ., 

anno Domini . 

Eleventh. I have not heretofore made petition for 
citizenship to any court. (I made petition for citi¬ 
zenship to the.court of.at., and 

the said petition was denied by the said court for the 

following reasons and causes, to wit, ., 

and the cause of such denial has since been cured or 
removed.) 

Attached hereto and made a part of this petition 
are my declaration of intention to become a citizen 
of the United States and the certificate from the De¬ 
partment of Labor required by law. Wherefore your 
petitioner prays that he may be admitted a citizen 
of the United States of America. 

Dated. 

(Signature of petitioner) . 

., ss: 

., being duly sworn, deposes and says 

that he is the petitioner in the above-entitled pro¬ 
ceeding; that he has read the foregoing petition and 
knows the contents thereof; that the same is true of 
his own knowledge, except as to matters therein 
stated to be alleged upon information and belief, and 
that as to those matters he believes it to be true. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 



















AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


47 


Subscribed and sworn to before me this . 

day of., anno Domini . 

(L.S.) ., 

Clerk of the.Court. 

Philippine Constabulary: A military police force main¬ 
tained in the Philippine Islands. Service in this or¬ 
ganization entitles the alien to special consideration. 
See Service to the United States. 

Philippine Islands: Located south of Asia. A Filipino 
cannot became a citizen of the United States through 
the process of naturalization, except after service in 
the United States Navy, Marine Corp or Naval Aux¬ 
iliary Service. See Service to United States. 

Poland: Located in Europe. Poles are of three classes, 
Russian Poles, German Poles and Austrian Poles. 
All may become American citizens through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization, but because the German and 
Austrian Poles were subjects of Germany and Aus¬ 
tria before the war with Germany and Austria they 
are classified as alien enemies and must secure relief 
from the classification of alien enemy. 

Polygamy: A man who marries more than one wife 
practices polygamy. A man believing in polygamy 
may not be naturalized. 

Port of Embarkation: The city where alien got on the 
boat or train to come to the United States. 

Port of Entry: A port of Entry is a seaport of the 
United States, or a land port, where the Bureau of 
Immigration maintains an office for the inspection of 
aliens. 

Porto Rico: Located in the West Indies. A district 
of the United States. Citizens of Porto Rico are 
citizens of the United States. 

Portugal: Located in Europe. Portuguese may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

Possessions of the United States: The Philippine 
Islands, Guam, Virgin Islands and the Panama Canal 
Zone, are possessions of the United States. 

Posting Names of Petitioners: The Clerk of the Court 
is required to post in a public place in his office, or 
in the building in which his office is located, the 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 









48 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


names, nativity and residence of the petitioner^ the 
date and place of his arrival in the United States, 
and the date as nearly as possible of the final hearing 
of the petition, and the names of his witnesses, for 
ninety days in advance of final hearing excluding 
date petition was filed and date of hearing. 

Preliminary Examination: A Naturalization Examiner 
spends such time as is necessary in each city where 
there are courts having jurisdiction in naturalization 
matters, between sessions of the court, to examine 
candidates for citizenship, as to their eligibility for 
citizenship and as to their knowledge of United 
States government and History. If the candidate 
is considered to have a satisfactory knowledge, the 
Examiner makes a record of that fact, and he is 
asked no further questions on these subjects at the 
time of his appearance in court. Witnesses are re¬ 
quired to appear with the candidates at the prelimi¬ 
nary examination. If the Examiner does not pass the 
candidate, he is advised to utilize the time between 
the preliminary examination and the time of his ap¬ 
pearance in court in study, so that he can answer the 
questions on civil government and history at that 
time. Notification is sent to the petitioner of the 
day and hour at which he must appear for prelimi¬ 
nary examination, by the Chief Naturalization Exam¬ 
iner. 

Presidential Exception: See Relief from Classification 
of Alien nemy. 

Presidential Exception Required: This is required by 
all persons who were born in Germany, or were sub¬ 
jects of Germany, whose declarations of intention 
were less than two years old on April 6th, 1917, the 
date of the Declaration of War with that country, 
or who were born in the Austrian Empire, or were 
subjects of the former Austrian Empire, whose 
declarations were less than two years old on Decem¬ 
ber 7th, 1917, the date of the Declaration of War with 
that Government. 

Process of Naturalization: The first step in the process 
of naturalization is the Declaration of Intention. Any 
male alien or any unmarried female alien eighteen 
years old or older, may make a Declaration of Inten- 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 




AMBRIOANIZATION DICTIONARY 


49 


tion any time after arrival in the United States. This 
paper sets forth his intention to reside permanently 
in the United States and within seven years to re¬ 
nounce allegiance to the government of which he is 
a subject, and to become a citizen of the Unit^ 
States. (See Form 2213.) 

When the Declaration of Intention is two years 
old and when the alien is twenty-one years old and 
has lived in the United States continuously (see Con¬ 
tinuous Residence) for five years, (this five years be¬ 
ing that immediately preceding the date of filing peti¬ 
tion,) he may file a petition for naturalization (see 
Form No. 221 A). If he arrived in this country after 
June 29th, 1906, he must, before filing a petition for 
naturalization, secure a Certificate of Arrival. (See 
Form No. 2226). 

When he files his petition for naturalization, he 
must be accompanied by two witnesses, who are citi¬ 
zens of the United States. These witnesses must 
make affidavit (see witnesses, affidavit) that they 
have known petitioner for the five years (if the peti¬ 
tioner has lived that entire period within the state) 
just preceding date of petition. If they are natural¬ 
ized citizens, they must exhibit their Certificate of 
Naturalization. If petitioner has lived in more than 
one state during this five years, see Depositions. 

After a petition is filed, it is the immediate duty 
of the Clerk of the Court to post the name, nativity 
and residence of the petitioner, date and place of ar¬ 
rival in this country, and as nearly as possible, the 
date of the final hearing, and the name of his wit¬ 
nesses, and this must remain so posted for ninety 
days, not including the date of filing the petition and 
the date of hearing. 

During this ninety days, in cities where there is a 
large volume of work, a Naturalization Examiner 
will conduct preliminary examinations of the peti¬ 
tioners, to determine their eligibility to citizenship, 
and their knowledge of history and government. See 
Preliminary Examination. 

At the first session of the naturalization court fol¬ 
lowing the ninety day period, the petitioner will be 
notified by the Clerk of the Court to appear for his 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




50 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


hearing in court, with his two witnesses, and will be 
there examined as to his eligibility to citizenship and 
as to his knowledge of civil goveomment and history. 
His witnesses will be examined to prove the peti¬ 
tioner's five years' residence, good moral character 
and eligibility for citizenship, and if it appears to the 
satisfaction of the court that all conditions are right 
(See Alien enemy), the petitioner will be admitted to 
citizenship after taking the oath of allegiance to the 
United States. 

The clerk of the court will prepare his Certificate 
of Naturalization, and he will have completed the 
process of naturalization and will be a citizen of the 
United States. 

Prussia; Part of Germany. See Germayiy. 

Public Schools: See Board of Education. 

Qualifications for Voter: Each state determines the 
length of residence of its voters. Information rela¬ 
tive to requirements in any state can be secured from 
the Clerk of the City or from the Secretary of State 
of the state. 

Questionnaire: The blank form filled out by men who 
registered under the Selective Service Law. 

Reading: An alien is not required to be able to read 
in order to be admitted to citizenship. 

Registered as Alien Enemy; At the beginning of the 
World War all aliens, owing allegiance to Germany or 
Austria, were required to register with the police 
officials of the city, or county, as alien enemies. Rec¬ 
ords of such registration can be obtained from the 
local police department, or the local office of the 
Department of Justice. 

Registration for Selective Service: Aliens are always 
asked whether they registered under the selective 
service law (draft law) and as to their classification, 
at the time of their preliminary examination or their 
appearance in court. Aliens should, when possible, 
take their classification card whenever appearing in 
connection with their naturalization. 

Registration with Consul: An alien who is a declarant 
and who subsequently registers with a consul of the 
country to which he owes allegiance invalidates his 
Declaration of Intention. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 






AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


61 


Regular Army: See Service to United States. 

Relief from Classification of Alien Enemy: Any alien 
enemy who desires to become a citizen of the United 
States must, if his Declaration was less than two 
years old at the beginning of the war with Germany 
and Austria, file an application for exception from 
the classification of alien enemy, by the President, 
at the time he files his petition for naturalization. 
By this is meant that he must sign certain papers, 
which request the authorities in Washington to re¬ 
move the classification of alien enemy from him that 
he may become a citizen. 

The necessary papers for filing the application for 
Presidential Exception may be obtained from the 
Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. A good 
form to use in addressing the Department of Justice 
is as follows: 

“Attorney General, 

Washington, D. C. 

Dear Sir: 

I desire to be excepted from the Classification of 
Alien Enemy in order that my petition for naturaliza¬ 
tion, referred to below, may be called for hearing. 
Will you knidly give me proper instructions and fur¬ 
nish the necessary Forms on which to make the ap¬ 
plication? The number of my petition is . It 

was filed in . Court on .19. 

The number of my Declaration of Intention is. 

It was filed on .19., in . Court. 

Sincerely yours, 

(Name).” 

The Department of Justice will send the necessary 
blank forms on receipt of this request. Full in¬ 
structions are given with each set of papers and 
these instructions should be studied carefully and all 
papers filled out exactly in accordance with them. 

When papers have been filled out, they should be 
mailed to the Attorney General of the United States, 
Washington, D. C. He will then refer the matter to 
the Local Office of the Department of Justice in the 
city where the petitioner resides, in case there is 
such an office, and in case there is not, to the nearest 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 












62 AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 

office, and the special agent of the Department will 
examine the petitioner and the two witnesses r^ 
quired in connection with the application for Presi¬ 
dential Exception, and if he finds that the alien has 
been loyal during the war, and in every way been 
a good citizen during and before the war, he will so 
report to the Department of Justice, and this depart¬ 
ment will notify him that he is relieved of the clas¬ 
sification of enemy alien and that he may appear i-: 
court. 

If he is of German birth or allegiance and his 
Declaration of Intention was more than two years 
old on A^7 6th, 1917, or of Austrian birth or al¬ 
legiance, if his Declaration was more than two years 
ol don December 7th, 1917, it is unnecessary for him 
to petition for Presidential Exception. In this case 
the Chief Naturalization Examiner in the District 
makes the investigation and has it within his power 
to authorize the hearing in court of the petitioner. 

Renunciation of Allegiance: A petitioner for natural¬ 
ization must renounce allegiance to his former ruler. 
If an error is made in this respect in the Declara¬ 
tion of Intention, a new one must be filed. 

Renunciation of Title of Nobility: See Heredita/ry 
Titles. 

Residence: A place of actual residence of a married 
man is the place where his family dwells. Only a 
constructive residence in the United States has been 
acquired where the family of the petitioner has never 
been in the United States. It is customary for the 
court to continue the petition until petitioner has 
brought his family to the United States and in case 
of protracted delay in bringing his family petition 
is dismissed or denied. 

An alien must have lived continuously in the United 
States for five years and in the State or Territory in 
which he files petition for naturalization one year 
immediately preceding Ws application, before peti¬ 
tion for naturalization may be filed. A petitioner, if 
in the service of the United States, does not lose his 
residence because of being in the Canal Zone. 

Roumania: Located in Europe. Roumanians may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro- 
cess of naturalization, _ 

Words in italics have sepanate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 





AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


It 


Russia: Located in Europe. Russians may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization, 

Salvador: Located in Central America. Salvadorians 
may become citizens of the United States through 
the process of naturalization. 

Santo Domingo: See Dominican Republic. 

Schools: Public schools in nearly every city in the 
United States furnish instruction for aliens in night, 
day and factory classes. The general practice is for 
the Board of Education to furnish an instructor for 
a class of fifteen or more. 

Scotland: Located in Europe. Scots may become citi¬ 
zens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Seaman: Any alien who has served for three years on 
board any vessel of the United States Government, or 
for three years on board any merchant or fishing ves¬ 
sel, of more than twenty tons burden, while still in 
such service, or within six months after separation 
therefrom, may petition for naturalization without 
proof of five years* residence in the most convenient 
court, provided he appears with two witnesses, citi¬ 
zens of the United States, before a representative of 
the Bureau of Naturalization, and passes a prelimi¬ 
nary examination, and before filing his petition, and 
he exhibits to the representative of the Bureau of 
Naturalization, a Certificate of Service, showing good 
conduct, signed by a master of a vessel, or vessels 
on which he has served, and when the representative 
of the Bureau of Naturalization has attached his Cer¬ 
tificate of Examination to the petition, it shall be 
taken as evidence to satisfy all of the requirements 
of residence and of good moral character, when sup¬ 
ported by the affidavits of two witnesses identifying 
the applicant as the person named in the Certificate. 
These cases may be heard in any court at any time 
that a representative of the Naturalization Bureau is 
present. 

Second Paper: This is a term used to designate the 
Certificate of Naturalization. 

Second Papers Lost or Destroyed: See Form No. 2225. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 





64 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Second Request for a Certificate of Arrival: In cases 
where a Certificate of Arrival has been applied for 
and is not received within two months, it is well to 
make a second application, using Form 2226. (See 
Delays), again, marking it “Second Request.’’ 

Secretary of Labor: Head of the Department of Labory 
one of the departments of the United States Govern¬ 
ment. The Secretary of Labor is a member of the 
President’s Cabinet. 

Secretary of State: Head of the State Department, one 
of the Departments of the United States Govern¬ 
ment. The Secretary of State is a member of the 
President’s Cabinet. 

Selective Service Law: This is the law providing for 
the draft in the war with Germany and Austria. It 
is usually called the Draft Law. 

Servia: Located in Europe. Serbs may become citi¬ 
zens of the United States through the process of nat¬ 
uralization. 

Service in Allied Armies: Any citizen of the United 
States who served in the Armies or Navies of the 
Allies of the United States, during the war with 
Germany and Austria, and who lost his United States 
citizenship because of taking an oath of allegiance to 
the country whose service he entered, may regain his 
United States citizenship by taking the oath of al¬ 
legiance to the United States prescribed by the Nat¬ 
uralization Law. This oath may be taken before any 
court having jurisdiction in naturalization matters, 
or before any Consul of the United States. Certified 
copies are sent by the court and the Consul to the 
Department of State and to the Naturalization Bu¬ 
reau. The necessary blank Forms can be secured 
from any Chief Naturalization Examiner. 

Service in Unifed States Army Before January 1, 1900: 
An alien who served in the United States Army and 
was honorably discharged before January 1, 1900, 
may file a Petition for Naturalization, upon presenta¬ 
tion of his honorable discharge, without having made 
a Declaration of Intention, and by proving one year’s 
residence. He must be accompanied by two witnesses, 
citizens of the United States, who make affidavit that 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. Seepaige5. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


55 

he is the person named in the discharge and can tes¬ 
tify to the one year’s residence of the petitioner. 

Service to the United States; 

Any native-born Fillipino twenty-one years old 
who has made a Declaration of Intention and who 
has enlisted in the United States Navy or Marine 
Corps or the Naval Auxiliary Seiwice, and who, after 
service of not less than three years, has been honor¬ 
ably discharged or who has received an ordinary dis¬ 
charge with a recommendation for re-enlistment; 

Or any alien, or Porto Eican not a citizen of the 
United States twenty-one years old who has made a 
Declaration of Intention and who has enlisted in the 
armies of the United States, either the Regular or 
the Volunteer Forces, or the National Army, the 
National Guard or Naval Militia of any State, Ter¬ 
ritory, or the District of Columbia, or the State 
Militia of any State, Territory, or the District of 
Columbia, or the State Militia in Federal service, or 
in the United States Navy or Marine Corps, or in the 
United States Coast Guard, or in the Philippine Con¬ 
stabulary, while still in the service or within six 
months after an honorable discharge, or while on 
furlough to the Army Reserve or Regular Army Re- 
seiwe after honorable service may petition for 
naturalization without proof of five years’ resi¬ 
dence, in the most convenient court, provided 
he appears with two witnesses, citizens of 
the United States, before a representative of the 
Bureau of Naturalization and passes a preliminary 
examination and before filing his petition he exhibits 
to the representative of the Bureau of Naturaliza¬ 
tion his honorable discharge, if he has an honorable 
discharge from the service, or a certificate of good 
conduct signed by a duly authorized officer if he is 
still in the service, and when the representative of 
the Bureau of Naturalization has attached his Cer¬ 
tificate of Examination to the petition, it shall be 
taken as evidence to satisfy all of the requirements of 
residence and of good moral character, when sup¬ 
ported by the affidavits of the two witnesses, identi¬ 
fying the applicant as the person named in the Cer¬ 
tificate or honorable discharge. These cases may be 

Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page B. . 





56 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


heard in any court at any time that a representative 
of the Naturalization Bureau is present. In cases 
where the alien is still in the military or naval ser¬ 
vice of the United States, or served during the war 
with Germany and Austria and was honorably dis¬ 
charged, a Certificate of ArHval need not be filed 
with the petition for naturalization. 

Service to United States in War with Germany and 
Austria: Any alien who served in the military or 
naval service of the United States during the time 
the United States was engaged in war with Germany 
and Austria, may file his Petition for Naturalization, 
without having made a Declaration of Intention and 
without proving five years’ residence in the United 
States. He must pass a preliminary examination by 
a Naturalization Examiner before filing his petition 
for naturalization. He must have two witnesses who 
are citizens of the United States. He may present 
his petition to any court at any time with the Cer¬ 
tificate of Examination prepared by the Naturaliza¬ 
tion Examiner. He is not required to pay a fee. 

Session of the Court; Sessions of Courts in Natural¬ 
ization matters vary in different localities. The times 
of sessions in any locality can be learned by com¬ 
municating with the Clerk of the Court or with the 
Chief Naturalization Examiner in the District. 

Seven Years: Legal Life of a Decla/ration of Intention. 

Seven Years Limit on Declaration of Intention: A 
Declaration of Intention expires in seven years from 
date of filing. 

Sicily: An island in the Mediterranean Ocean, belong¬ 
ing to Italy. Sicilians may become citizens of the 
United States through the process of naturalization. 

Signing Name: An alien does not need to sign his name 
in making his Declaration of Intention but he must 
be able to sign his name when filing his Petition for 
N aturalizalion. 

Slavonia: Part of Hungary. See Austria-Hungary. 

Soldiers’ Certificates of Naturalization: Soldiers were 
given special consideration while serving in the Unit¬ 
ed States Army in the matter of naturalization. Some 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See pasre 6. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


57 


soldiers completed their naturalization but did not 
receive their Certificate of Naturalization. Such 
Certificates can be obtained by writing to the Chief 
Naturalization Examiner of the District in which the 
camp, where they were naturalized, is located, giving 
the following information: Full Name, Army Serial 
Number, Number of Company, Regiment, Camp at 
which Naturalized, Number of Naturalization Cer¬ 
tificate, Date of Naturalization and infoi-mation as 
to present address. 

Soldiers in War with Germany: See Soldiers in Allied 
Armies. 

Soldier Who Started Naturalization in the Army But 
Did Not Complete: A plan was developed during the 
war with Germany and Austria for the naturaliza¬ 
tion of alien soldiers who were outside of the United 
States. These soldiers made their petitions overseas 
and named two witnesses in their home town, who 
would appear for them. A Naturalization Examiner 
was to represent the alien in court, and all condi¬ 
tions being in conformance with the law, the alien 
would be admitted to citizenship. Many of these peti¬ 
tions were filed, but before they could be presented in 
court the war ended, and it was decided that it would 
be best to wait until the soldier petitioner returned 
home, when he could represent himself. Men who 
filed such petitions while abroad can get infoimiation 
about them by writing the Chief Naturalization Ex¬ 
aminer in the District. 

Soldiers Who Were Naturalized in the Army But Did 
Not Receive Citizenship Papers: See Soldiers* Cer¬ 
tificates of Naturalization. 

Spain: Located in Europe. Spaniards may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Speaking English: An alien must be able to speak 
English when he files his Petition for Nautralization, 
except in case he has made a Homestead Entry under 
the United States Land Laws. This is the only con¬ 
dition under which an alien is not requireqd to speak 
English in order to secure a Certificate of Natural¬ 
ization. An alien does not need to speak English 
when he makes his Declaration of Intention. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See pa«:e 5. 





58 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Statb Militia: See Service to the United States. 

States of the United States: Alabama, Arizona, Ark¬ 
ansas, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, 
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kan¬ 
sas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massa¬ 
chusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, 
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New 
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, 
North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsyl¬ 
vania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, 
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Veimiont, Virginia, Wash¬ 
ington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. 

Step-children: See Children's Citizenship. 

Subpoena: A Petitioner shall, when it is necessary, to 
subpoena witnesses, deposit with the Clerk of the 
Court an amount sufficient to cover the expenses of 
subpoening and paying the legal fees of any witness 
for whom he may request a subpoena and upon final 
discharge of such witnesses, they shall receive, if 
they demand same, from the Clerk of the Court, the 
customary witness fees from the money the petitioner 
deposited with the Clerk, and money that is left shall 
be returned by the Clerk to the petitioner. The Clerk 
of the Court shall, if petitioner requests, issue a 
subpoena for the petitioner’s witnesses to appear upon 
date for final hearing. This is used only in case wit¬ 
nesses are unwilling to appear. 

Substitutte Witness: See Witnesses^ Substitute. 

Surrender of a Declaration of Intention: See Exemp¬ 
tion from Military Service Claimed by Declarants 
Who Surrendered Their Declaration of Intention. 

Sweden: Located in Europe. Swedes may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Switzerland: Located in Europe. Swiss may become 
citizens of the United States through the process of 
naturalization. 

Taken Out Papers : This is a teirni used to indicate that 
a man has completed the naturalization process, and 
received his Certificate of Naturalization. 

Term of Court: See Session of Court. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 






AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Territories of the United States: Alaska and Hawaiian 
Islands are tepitories of the United States. Porto 
Rico is a district of the United States. 

Time for Naturalization: The minimum time necessary 
for naturalization is five years and three months. An 
alien must live in the United States five years before 
he can petition for naturalization and of this five 
years he must live in the state where he petitions 
for naturalization for the last year. Ninety days 
must elapse between the date of filing petition and the 
hearing in court. 

Time Set for Hearing: This means the time set by the 
Court for the hearing in court of the petitioner, and 
his witnesses. 

Titles: See Hereditary Titles. 

Transylvania: Part of Hungary. See Austria-Hun¬ 
gary. 

Turkey: Located in Europe and Asia. Turks may be¬ 
come citizens of the United States through the pro¬ 
cess of naturalization. 

United States Army: See Service to the United States. 

United States Citizen: See Citizen. 

United States Consul: See Consul of the United States. 

United States Court: A Federal Court having jurisdic¬ 
tion over a United States Judicial District. These 
courts usually handle naturalization matters. 

United States of America: The forty-eight states, two 
territories and Porto Rico, comprise the United 
States of America. See States, 

Uruguay: Located in South America. Uraguayans 
may become Citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

Venezuela: Located in South America. Venezuelans 
may become citizens of the United States through the 
process of naturalization. 

Visa: Approval, Certification. 

Volunteer Army: See Service to the United States. 

Voting: State Laws govern the period of time which 
must elapse after an alien is admitted to citizenship 
before he can vote. Information relative to this can 
be secured from the City Clerk or from the Secre- 
tary of State. _ 

Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See pa-ge 6. 




60 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


Wales: Located in Europe. Welsh may become citi¬ 
zens of the United States through the procesi of nat* 
uralization. 

War with Germany and Austria: War with Germany 
commenced April 6, 1917, and with Austria Decem¬ 
ber 7, 1917, and the state of war will continue until a 
Treaty of Peace is signed or a state of peace is 
brought about in some other way. 

Where Can Papers Be Filed: In the office of the Clerk 
of the Court where naturalization matters are 
handled. 

Who May Not Become American Citizens: Japanese, 
Chinese and the Malay races. Some courts bar other 
races, and as far as possible specific information is 
given under the name of the country or nation. 

Widow of An Alien: See Woman*s Citizenship. 

Widow of Declarant: If an alien has made a Declara^ 
tion of Intention, but dies before he files his petition 
for naturalization, his widow may, when her hus¬ 
band’s Delaration of Intention is two years old and 
when she has been in the United States five years, 
file a petition for naturalization. She uses her hus¬ 
band’s Declaration and must, if she came to the 
United States after June 29th, 1906, secure a Cer¬ 
tificate of Arrival, and must have two witnesses. Chil¬ 
dren of a Declarant who died before filing his peti¬ 
tion for naturalization, may petition for naturaliza¬ 
tion when they reach the age of twenty-one, if the 
Declaration that their father made is then two years 
old and less than seven years old and if they have 
been in the United States for five years. They must 
conform to all other requirements of the law. If a 
widow completes naturalization before the children 
are twenty-one, her children become citizens. 

Wife As Witness: A wife cannot be a witness for her 
husband because she is not a citizen until he is. 

Wife’s Citizenships See Woman*s Citizenship. 

Wife of a Citizen. See Woman*s Citizenship, 

Within State, Change of Residence: See Depositions. 

Witnesses: When an alien files a Petition for Natural¬ 
ization with the Clerk of the Court, he must be ac¬ 
companied by two witnesses, who are citizens of the 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. Stee 5. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 61 

United States, and these witnesses make affidavit 
that they have personal knowledge that the alien has 
been a resident of the United States for at least five 
years continuously, and of the state, or territory in 
which the petition is filed, for at least one year, both 
immediately preceding the date of filing of the peti¬ 
tion, and that the petitioner is a person of good moral 
character and in every way qualified in their opinion 
to be admitted as a citizen of the United States. The 
witnesses* affidavit is on the same form as the petition 
and is signed and sworn to by the witnesses at the 
same time that the petitioner signs the petition for 
naturalization. If the witnesses are naturalized citi¬ 
zens, they must exhibit their Naturalization Certifi¬ 
cates. Witnesses are ^so required to be present at 
the petitioner’s preliminary examination and at his 
appearance in court. It is best not to have men who 
were soldiers in the war with Germany and Austria 
as witnesses because they are disqualified because of 
long absence. 

Witness, Absent: If a witness is not present in court 
at the time set for a petitioner's hearing in court, the 
petitioner’s case will be continued until the next term 
of court, or until the witness appears in court with 
the petitioner. If the witness has left the jurisdic¬ 
tion of the court permanently, a substitute witness 
may, with the consent of the court, be used. 

Witnesses Affidavit: Witnesses appearing with peti¬ 
tions must make the following affidavit: 

In the matter of the petition of .to be 

admitted a citizen of the United States of America. 

(Name of witness), occupation., residing at 

., and (Name of witness), occupation ., 

residing at ., each being severally, duly, and 

respectively sworn, deposes and says that he is a 
citizen of the United States of America; that he has 
personally known (Name of petitioner), the peti¬ 
tioner above mentioned, to be a resident of the United 
States for a period of at least five years continuously 
immediately preceding the date of filing his petition, 
and of the State (Territory or the District of Col¬ 
umbia) in which the above-entitled application is 
made for a period of . years immediately pre- 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 










62 


AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


ceding the date of filing his petition; and that he has 
personal knowledge that the said petitioner is a per¬ 
son of good moral character, attached to the princi¬ 
ples of the Constitution of the United States, and 
that he is in every way qualified, in his opinion, to be 
admitted as a citizen of the United States. 

Witnesses Excused; In cases, where for any reason, a 
petitioner is not admitted to citizenship at the time 
of his appearance in court, but his good character 
and his five years’ residence have been proven by the 
witnesses, the court may excuse the witnesses from 
further appearance, so that at the next hearing in 
court, the petitioner only need appear. This happens 
in cases where the petitioner is not properly prepared 
in history and government, or where there is some 
technicality in his papers that needs to be corrected. 

Witnesses Incompetent; Witnesses, who under the law 
and the ruling of the court, are not competent to 
serve the petitioner, that is, who cannot prove their 
own citizenship or cannot prove personal knowledge 
of petitioner, will cause the dismissal of petition. New 
witnesses cannot be substituted except as stated un¬ 
der Substitute Witnesses. In case of the dismissal 
of the petition because of incompetent witnesses, a 
new petition may be filed if the Declaration of Inten¬ 
tion is not more than seven years old. In case it is 
seven years old, or has become seven years old since 
the first petition was filed, a new Declaration of In¬ 
tention must be made and petitioner must wait two 
years before filing his petition for naturalization. 

Witnesses Professional; Men who make a practice of 
appearing as witnesses in naturalization cases are 
not acceptable to the courts and the petition is liable 
to be dismissed in case a professional witness is used. 

Witness for a Traveling Man; Witnesses for a travel¬ 
ing man are expected to see him when he returns 
home after a trip, know where his residence is and 
know his family, if he has any, and to correspond 
with him during his absence. 

Witnesses in Other States; When a petitioner has re¬ 
sided in a state in which his petition is filed for more 
than one year but less than five years, it is necessary 


Words in. italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 6. 




AMERICANIZATION DICTIONARY 


63 


for him to prove residence and good character in the 
places in which he previously resided. This can be 
done by affidavits of citizens who knew him in the 
places where he previously lived. These affidavits are 
called Depositions. See Depositions. 

Witness, Substitute: If a witness dies, or moves away 
from the jurisdiction of the court permanently, a new 
witness may, with the consent of the court, be sub¬ 
stituted. Such substitution is usually ihade on the 
day of the hearing in courts with the consent of the 
court. 

Woman Divorced: See Woman^s Citizenship. 

Woman’s Citizenship: Any unmarried alien woman 
may become a citizen through the process of natural¬ 
ization. A married woman cannot make a declara¬ 
tion of mtention, or file a petition for naturalization 
during the existence of the marital status. 

Any American woman who marries an alien takes 
the nationality of her husband. At the termination 
of the marital relation she may resume her American 
citizenship, if abroad, by registering as an American 
citizen, within one year, with a consul of the United 
States, or by returning to reside in the United States, 
or, if residing in the United States at the termina¬ 
tion of the marital relation, by continuing to reside 
therein. 

Any foreign woman who marries an American ac¬ 
quires American citizenship and retains the same 
after the termination of the marital relation if she 
continues to reside in the United States, unless she 
makes formal renunciation thereof before a court 
having jurisdiction in naturalization matters, or if 
she resides abroad she may retain her American citi¬ 
zenship by registering as such before a consul of the 
United States within one year after the termination 
of such marital relation. A woman cannot be a wit¬ 
ness for her husband because she is not a citizen. 

Writing: An alien must be able to write his name 
when he files his petition for naturalizatwn. He does 
not need to be able to write in addition to this. When 
he makes his Declaration of Intention, he does not 
need to write his name but may make his mark. 


Words in italics have separate definitions. Ask questions. See page 5. 






I 






1 LIBRARY OF CONOR 




ESS 


0 027 119 752 4 





> 










COMMONWEALTH PRINTING CO, 
GRAND RAPIDS. MICH. 















